Bin There, Done That: Rethinking Summer Rubbish Pick-ups

Every year we update our Long Term Plan (LTP) with an Annual Plan to reflect changing circumstances, including any changes to service delivery.

Last year, we completed our 2024-2034 LTP, and forecast our budgets and rates for the next 10 years. Right now, we’re preparing the Annual Plan for 2025/26 (Year 2 of the LTP).

We'd like to hear your thoughts* on our proposal to reduce summer kerbside collections for rubbish and glass in Whangamatā, Pāuanui, Tairua, and Mercury Bay North and South areas from twice weekly to once weekly (from the week of Christmas to the week of Waitangi Day). This will align it with the peak recycling collections. 

While the change will only affect rubbish and glass collections in our East Coast communities, all wards will benefit from the cost savings. As the rubbish and recycling budget is shared district-wide, our ratepayers would save an average of $33 in rates. Our eastern communities will save more, since they’ll see the service change.

*After publication of our consultation documents, we noticed an error in our kerbside rubbish and glass collection calculations. The error does not affect the proposal we are consulting on, but we want to ensure our community has accurate information, so we have amended the Annual Plan 2025 consultation document and the Rubbish and Recycling Collection Data supporting document. We have changed the graph on page 5 of our Bin There, Done That consultation document and have also changed the graphs in the supporting document. We apologise for any inconvenience.

Share your feedback now online    Download a fillable form

What would change?

Right now:

• Peak Summer (from the week of Christmas Day to the week of Waitangi Day): Rubbish and glass are picked up twice a week, and recycling once a week.
• Rest of the year: there would be no changes to the usual 'fortnightly' off-peak schedule
• Food scraps remain the same year-round: once a week.

We’re proposing:

• Peak summer collections for rubbish and glass would be once a week instead of twice, aligning it with the weekly collection of recycling over peak.
• There would be no changes to the usual off-peak schedule.

Your feedback will be a big help to us as we come to a final decision.

How do I give feedback?

You can share your thoughts with us from 1 to 29 April, 2025. We're especially wanting to hear from you if you live on our Eastern seaboard and may be affected by the proposed change.

Share your feedback now online    Download a fillable form

Rather kōrero or chat?

Prefer to jot it all down?

What's happening next?

1. Once feedback closes on Tuesday 29 April, there will be a final opportunity to share any feedback on Monday 5 May in a Council public feedback forum. If you wish to share your views at the forum, please register your interest using our online feedback form, before Tuesday 29 April.
2. On Tuesday 20 May, we'll meet to consider all the feedback we've received, before we come to a decision.
3. On Tuesday 24 June, our draft Annual Plan is scheduled to be adopted at our Council meeting.
4. Once that's happened, we'll share our final decision with you, and we'll make the final Annual Plan available to read and download on our website.