Greens-led council’s shock plan to slug residents to empty public bins on the street

The City of Yarra is set to introduce a new levy to cover the cost of emptying public bins in a move described as “cowardly” and “lazy”.

The tax to cover the cost of emptying public bins on shopping strips and parks to be emptied is an unprecedented move. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Households in the City of Yarra are set to be slugged with not one but two new bin taxes on top of their general rates bill.

The second charge is an unprecedented move to pay for public bins on shopping strips and parks to be emptied.

The moves from the controversial Greens-dominated council comes six years after a plan to introduce a $247 bin tax was abandoned amid howls of protest.

The council is also preparing to reduce household general waste collection from weekly to fortnightly.

Independent councillor Stephen Jolly, who led the bin tax opposition in 2017, said the plan for the new charges in the next budget was simply a cash grab from those who could least afford it.

Yarra councillor Stephen Jolly has vowed to fight the latest bin taxes proposal. Picture: Alex Coppel.

“It’s cowardly. It’s lazy. They are handballing their financial situation to struggling small business and residents who are battling the cost of the living.’’

Yarra is also likely to introduce the full 3.5 per cent rates rise, allowed by the state government capping system.

Yarra is one of a few councils statewide to not have a separate waste levy, but instead has traditionally embedded the costs in rates bills. Cr Jolly said Yarra should not follow others.

“Just because other people do bad things, doesn’t mean you do the same,’’ Cr Jolly said.

The move comes as councillors at cash-strapped Yarra approved a $2.2 million plan to redesign the Burnley golf course ­to reduce the risk of stray balls spraying on to the Monash Freeway. The work includes new fences, walls, paths and turf.

Cr Jolly said the council owned empty buildings that could be put to use. Yarra still has three town halls, with the one in Fitzroy only partly occupied.

The council is set to roll out two new bin taxes on top of their general rates bill. Picture: Supplied

“And there’s more senior management at Yarra than at other comparable councils.’’

“Yarra should ask the state government for support and trim the bureaucratic fat instead of “putting their hands in the pockets of small business and locals”, he said.

Cr Herschel Landes, who back as a ratepayer in 2017 vehemently opposed the bin tax, said it was too early to say if the Bin Tax 2.0 would gain his support or not.

Cr Jolly and fellow independents Bridgid O’Brien and Michael Glynatsis are rallying opposition to the new levies. They are holding public meetings for residents over the coming weeks across the municipality.

Cr Herschel Landes, a former Bridge Rd Traders Association president, opposed the bin tax in 2017. Picture: Kylie Else

The Herald Sun front page in 2017 on the proposed bin tax.

Yarra’s nine councillors will consider the changes at a meeting on March 14.

A council spokesperson said options were being considered to separate waste service charges from general rates to step in line with other municipalities.

“Council is considering separating and itemising waste services charges from general rates, on rates notices at this meeting. It is not an additional charge on top of general rates.

“Under what is being proposed, both public waste services and kerbside waste services would be included in a waste service charge. The inclusion of public waste services in a waste service charge is not unprecedented. Most Victorian councils include public waste services as an aspect of their waste service charge.’’

The spokesperson also denied that any changes to kerbside waste collection services were being considered at its next meeting.