East Auckland residents are pleading for rubbish bins removed from the community as part of a $10 million cost-cutting exercise to be returned.
But before the Howick Local Board will back their call for action it wants to know what it would cost to have the bins put back.
The issue arose at the board’s recent business meeting when member Bruce Kendall moved a notice of motion requesting the reinstalment of three rubbish bins removed from the board’s area.
As the Times has previously reported, Auckland Council is removing more than 150 bins from the local community.
It’s part of a larger exercise across the city in an effort to save almost $10m.
The move has been met with loud opposition from residents who say it will make it harder to keep local public spaces clean and tidy, particularly from dog faeces.
Kendall’s notice of motion was amended from three bins to five, being three on The Parade in Bucklands Beach, one at the northern entrance to Macleans Park, and one adjacent to piers at Half Moon Bay Marina.
He also wanted the council to attach signs stating “Please take rubbish home where sorting for recycling is best managed” to the most used bins in the board’s area.
Several members of the public spoke in support of the notice of motion during the board’s meeting.
Among them was Bucklands and Eastern Beaches Residents and Ratepayers Association member Derek Shortt.
He said the group had done an analysis of the distance between rubbish bins in the area and it wants a bin installed at Little Bucklands Beach.
Nick Webb from the Bucklands Beach Yacht Club said rubbish was piling up due to bins being removed from the area.
Bins have been removed from Half Moon Bay Marina near the boat ramp and the idea of not having bins there so people take their rubbish away is “clearly not working for us”.
Webb asked the board to replace rubbish bins that have been removed from the area and possibly install new bins.
Kendall said he’s had constant requests from local residents and the Bucklands Beach Yacht Club to have the bins reinstalled because of a significant increase in rubbish in the area since the bins were removed.
Prior to the bins being removed residents would pick up rubbish and put it in a bin, but rubbish left on the ground now is being blown into the ocean, where it can harm marine life.
Bins on Bucklands Beach Peninsula are filled to overflowing on a regular basis, Kendall said.
“Taking away bins in these locations is not resulting in a change of behaviour.”
Board chairperson Damian Light moved an amendment to the motion requesting the council’s parks and community department provide advice, including costs, on the reinstalment of the five bins.
The amendment also requested advice that the most used bins in the board’s area have the specified signs attached. Light’s amendment was carried.
Board member David Collings then moved an additional amendment that the board provide advice that the most used bins have signs attached requesting wording such as “Please take rubbish home where sorting for recycling is best managed”. Collings’ amendment was carried.
Kendall’s initial, and subsequently amended notice of motion, was then put for a vote and was also carried.
- Disclosure: Howick Local Board deputy chairperson Bo Burns is the owner of the Times.
