COUNCIL has called on residents to be the eyes and ears on the ground when it comes to tackling Tamworth’s trash problem.
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The move comes only weeks after councillor Juanita Wilson called for a new rubbish service to be established in the region to combat a spate of bulky waste being left on the streets for weeks.
Tamworth Regional Council’s (TRC) sustainability unit has now launched an online survey for residents to point out “litter and illegal dumping hotspots”.
“What we are trying to establish is locations that council may not be aware of where there is illegal dumping or littering issues, so we can then work on strategies and plans to combat those issues,” TRC sustainability coordinator Tracey Carr said.
We can’t be everywhere, we rely on the residents to be our eyes and ears.
- TRC sustainability coordinator Tracey Carr
“We plan on producing a report from the data that will be available for the community to view, but the information is primarily for us and for planning moving forward.
“We can’t be everywhere, we rely on the residents to be our eyes and ears.”
But Ms Carr said the survey wasn’t linked to Cr Wilson’s call for increased rubbish collection in the council area.
The sustainability coordinator pointed to some potential strategies to tackle the region’s trash situation.
“We have a number of strategies that we put in place for problem areas, so CCTV is one option, signage, additional monitoring by council staff,” she said.
“If the issue is an illegal dumping one, we can do some investigative work on the items that are dumped to identify who may be responsible for them.”
Cr Wilson said the new survey would go part of the way to addressing the problem.
“The way we deal with rubbish and waste in Tamworth is up the top,” Cr Wilson said.
“But we’re still not meeting some needs.”
Cr Wilson said the survey would serve a broader purpose for council and the community.
“Its intent is to increase access and accountability,” she said.
Now in her third term, Cr Wilson said she’s seen council improve in this area.
“I think we are coming of age in terms of listening to the community,” she said.
To access the survey, open until the end of May, go to: www.tamworth.nsw.gov.au/lids
Respondents are asked to include their name and contact details so, if needed, council’s sustainability team can get in touch to find out more information.
Councillor calls for more waste services in region
THE region could be set for a major overhaul of rubbish collection if one local councillor has her way.
Tamworth Regional councillor Juanita Wilson is fed up with the amount of trash littered through local streets and wants to see changes outside of the regular weekly collections.
She has asked council to look into offering an additional service where residents can get their bulky waste collected on demand for a reasonable fee. Read more.