Baw Baw bins: Green waste will be collected fortnightly and 1,200 public bins will be collected by Solo under a new contract. Image: Author.
Solo will collect green waste fortnightly and take responsibility for public bins under a new contract with the Baw Baw Shire Council, but the cost remains a secret.
When asked if the new contract will “cost any more or less than the present contract,” Acting Director for Community Assets Simon Hill declined to comment.
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“Contract costs are confidential,” Mr Hill told The Warragul Citizen.
The new contract includes fortnightly green waste collection, up from monthly, and Solo taking responsibility for all 1,200 public bins presently managed by council staff.
Mr Hill says the transfer of public bin responsibility will not reduce council costs.
“There will be no salary cost savings made from the transfer of litter bins from the operations team to the contractor as no staff will be let go,” Mr Hill said.
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“Any savings from reduction of plant and equipment will be transferred from operations into the waste management budget.”
The cost of the new contract was not used to determine the new rates and waste collection charges outlined in the draft budget.
“No, the draft budget was advertised before the tender closed,” Mr Hill said.
“New costs will be considered by Council as part of budget adoption process as the garbage charge is cost recovery and must reflect the new waste management costs.”
The contract will commence in October and is valid for seven years, with a possible extension to 10 years if key performance indicators (KPIs) are met.
“The KPIs will form part of the regular contract reviews of the contractor’s performance that will be used and presented to council as part of any recommendation to extend the contract beyond seven years,” Mr Hill said.
Performance indicators centre on the number of complaints, response time to complaints, safety and conduct, property damage and record keeping.
The new contract includes systems to divert waste from landfill to recycling and green waste disposal.
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“Kerbside bin auditing is included in the contract, including annual bin audit (sic) of all waste streams,” Mr Hill said.
“The waste education component is part of the contract which will be approved by Council Waste officer.”
All new vehicles will also include a GPS with the intention of improving efficiency, and biodiesel will be used wherever possible for collection vehicles.
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