After months of debate between the local community and the Snowy River Shire Council, the gates to the Eucumbene disposal depot have been locked.
The Snowy River Shire Council believe that it is not economically viable to keep the facility open, and attached a new padlock to the gate, restricting entry for the public.
The community were given a 12-month public consultation period, and they used this time to form a committee in an attempt to come up with ideas to allow the waste disposal depot to continue running.
The committee arranged a petition which was supported by 350 signatures, and held several meetings throughout 2009.
At one such meeting, which was attended by several councillors, an agreement was reached whereby the facility would continue operating, for the disposal of household waste, as the main costs associated with the facility came from the disposal of items such as white goods and televisions/computers.
Much to the disappointment of the local community, however, when council met to discuss the final decision on whether or not to keep the facility open, the proposal was rejected and the facility was officially closed on Monday.
As a show of protest against the closure of the tip, more than 100 residents who will be affected by the closure rallied outside the facility after the closure to voice their disappointment at the council’s decision. They were shocked to see a large padlock on the gate with signs stating that CCTV (closed circuit television) is in place and that random patrols are being conducted to enforce the closure. Any person found in breach of this signage faces prosecution.
The Rocky Plain, Braemar Bay and Eucumbene communities are incensed at the way they as ratepayers, are being treated by Council.
Committee president Mark Winter voiced the opinion of the crowd, speaking about the difficulties that would arise from the closure, and was impressed with the turn up from local people.
“It’s a big disappointment for local people,” he said. “ It [the protest] fired up more than I expected. There’s over 100 people at this gathering which is far more than I expected.”
Committee member Ross McKinney said “People are angry that they now have to travel almost 100 kilometers to dispose of household garbage – and at the same time paying more in waste charges - the highest in NSW.
“Older residents are at a loss at how they will manage to cart their rubbish so far.
“Children were asking how they would continue to recycle plastics, paper and bottles,” Mr McKinney said.
In 2008 Council developed and passed a resolution to close the facility without any notification to or consultation with the community. The community persuaded Council to commit to a 12 month ‘open and honest’ consultation process.
Council established a Working Group consisting of Councillors, Council staff, Rocky Plain, Braemar, and Eucumbene residents to determine workable outcomes for the future of the facility.
Residents on this Working Group entered into what the community thought was an honest attempt by Council to consult with them in developing reasonable options for this facility.
Mr McKinney, a member of this Working Group said, “We spent long hours researching and preparing cost-effective and environmentally and socially responsible alternatives to closure. We travelled to meetings held in Council and community facilities, often during normal Council office hours, for which we were unpaid or sacrificed paid work.”
“The consultation process was cut short by Council exhibiting the Shire’s Plan of Management which stated that the Eucumbene Waste Transfer Station would close. This action demonstrated to the community that Council had little or no intention of altering their original decision to close the facility, making a mockery of the consultation process. No response to the options presented to Council or reasons for the closure have been received by the Working Group”, he said.
