The controversy over the fate of the rubbish tips serving the small villages of Niangala and Watsons Creek has been resolved.
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Earlier this month, locals were shocked to receive word from Tamworth Regional Council that it intended to close them, leaving some residents with an hour's round trip to drop off rubbish.
On Saturday, council staff and councillors laid out plans to keep them open at public meetings in the communities.
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The Niangala tip, which had been unmanned and therefore free to use, will now be staffed. Residents will be charged per load.
Both tips will only be open two days a week for three hours each, but Niangala resident Brittany Moore said the deal was a reasonable compromise that suited the majority of the village.
"It's very funny the solutions that we could come to when there was a bit of community pushback," she said.
"This is the best solution we could have hoped for."
It's unclear if Tamworth or Walcha staff will be used to staff the gate, but annual rubbish bills for all residents in council's 'regional remote zone' will be about $100 higher, relative to what they would otherwise have been in order to fund the two tips.
Nonetheless, Mrs Moore called on Tamworth councillors to vote for the deal.
About 30 people attended the meeting on Saturday at the village hall, and aside from a handful of people, most backed the agreement.
"I know it's only a small thing, but for communities it's a vital resource that we use," she said.
Niangala resident Gail Brazel said she too was happy with the outcome.
"I reckon they have [developed] a good compromise,'" she said.
"They were planning on closing it. I think we've done well."
Niangala tip would open from 1pm until 4pm on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Watsons Creek tip would open from 8.30 until 11.30 am on Wednesdays and 1pm to 4pm on Saturdays.
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