Toowoomba, Western Downs Regional Councils sign onto joint waste services procurement
THE Toowoomba Regional Council will team up with a neighbouring local government as part of a joint procurement process for waste and recyclables collection services.
Council
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Councillors voted at the committee meeting yesterday to join up with the Western Downs Regional Council in the process, which could lead to a cost saving for residents.
The TRC’s current waste and recyclables collection and bulk haul and processing of recyclables service contract will run out on June 30, 2023, with the WDRC’s contract due to expire in late 2022.
TRC water and waste portfolio leader Cr Nancy Sommerfield said the proposed joint approach for securing new waste and recyclables collection services offered a range of benefits to both councils and ratepayers.
“The respective contract expiry dates offered a chance to explore a joint procurement process that delivers separate contracts to each council,” Cr Sommerfield said.
“This approach has been adopted successfully by several other local government groups across Queensland.
“Waste management contracts are among the council’s largest and longest contractual agreements, so I welcome the chance to take advantage of a new business model.”
While the procurement process will be done jointly, each council will enter into separate agreements with contractors.
Water and waste chair Cr Rebecca Vonhoff said the council would work to refine practices that would improve service delivery for residents, while also meeting legislative and environmental requirements.