Businessman and community advocate Lachlan Sullivan was joined at council’s monthly policy committee meeting by a large crowd of people displeased with the way council has handled the issue. 

The introduction of the green bins was addressed by several councillors, including Jess Jennings, who said he “in principle” would support councillor Bobby Bourke’s motion for an opt-out option for residents who don’t require the third bin – but he needed more information.

“First, I agree in principle with an ‘opt-out’ option especially for pensioners, but the additional cost of administering an opt-out option needs to be established and considered in that light,” Cr Jennings said. 

“Second, the public must be made aware of the financial savings the green bin system is expected to deliver to all Bathurst ratepayers over the longer term.”

Mr Sullivan claims the decision to add the green bins to council’s waste collection services was made long before a survey for residents was made available.

“The mayor admitted [at the meeting] the decision was made last November to introduce the bins and he admitted there was no public forum,” he said. 

“They have used the results of that survey to justify a decision they had already made.”

However, mayor Gary Rush has refuted this, saying he was responding to a question from another resident about whether a public forum specifically had been held. 

“Council resolved in October 2014 to accept the tender for the provision for two 40 litre food and organic waste collections for all standalone houses,” Cr Rush said.

“Council made that decision on the basis of passing a resolution in June 2013 to enter into a regional waste services MoU [memorandum of understanding].

“In between, we had what we referred to as a working party for a specialist consultant, who gave councillors a briefing of what those services would entail.”

Mr Sullivan hopes to get even more people to the next council meeting.