Letters: Council rubbish deal not a bad one

I'M somewhat surprised at Ross Fallen's response to the kerbside collection options and would possibly have noticed and been concerned had the first option been given a green bullet point and option C a red one.

Be that as it may, Fallen and many others see a red bullet point whenever there is a suggestion that "Rates will rise!" without considering that in the process their weekly costs for waste disposal will reduce in turn.

For example, waste management will charge $330 annually for a weekly empty of a 140-litre bin to landfill plus $150 annually for a weekly recycle empty, a total of $480 annually.

Envirowaste will cost $262 annually for a fortnightly 120-litre to landfill and $165 annually for a weekly 120-litre green waste, a total of $427 and do your own recycling.
Although these are not identical to the council's Option C, both are respectively $260 and $200 more than the council's proposed landfill and recycling option.

Apply a little logic to the differences and first up the council is not planning on making a profit from waste disposal but working towards less waste and better recycling, unlike both the waste businesses. Part of that $200+ per year per household is down to the fact that there are two waste trucks going down every street every week.

But then they are experts at waste.

JOHN MILNES
Whanganui

Gold card confusion

The Whanganui District Council have written to me and probably every other holder of their "Super Gold Card Parking" card saying, " ... As at January 1, 2019, the card that you are currently using will no longer be accepted ... " This is the card that, if I display it, will protect me from being "ticketed" by their parking meter staff, were I to park in certain streets, 8am to 11am Monday to Friday and fail to contribute coins to their parking meters.

I pondered why they lacked the courtesy to explain why it "will no longer be accepted" as section 1 of the blurb I was given with the card clearly stated "1.The card has no expiry date."

Unable to understand their rudeness, although the phrase "money-grasping" did enter my mind, I noted I now had to apply for a replacement card for my "never-expiring card". Mention was made that the replacement card, " ... will expire in five years from the date of issue ... and there will be a $15 charge if reapplying".

It seemed that, were I to apply and park once weekly within their areas and time limits, that would equate to a charge of approximately 6 cents a park, which does not appear too onerous. But then my antennae started to twitch and point out, firstly, there was no mention that the replacement card would have a five-year expiry period and, as the council had just demonstrated that my "never-expiring card" had expired, could I trust them?

Secondly, the phrase "money-grasping" sidled up to me and whispered that were there to be a second replacement card available after the first replacement card had expired, not that there was any mention of a second, there was no suggestion that it would cost $15 or last for five years.

So, I was left with serious mistrust of the council's unexplained actions along with their lack of openness about the future.

Although required to apply for their replacement card, I will not do so until late December, as any replacement card's (unexplained) expiry time commences from when it is issued.

V.W. BALLANCE
Westmere

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