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Key challenges and issues

How can I improve the understanding of waste management at my council?

Your council's support at a political level is pivotal in ensuring waste management policies, plans and strategies are developed and implemented.

Here are some things to keep in mind when seeking council support for waste management policy, plans and strategies:

Take a long term view

It's an easier road if you can point to practice that is evolving elsewhere, highlight aspects of best practice, and promote opportunities and potential benefits for your council over the long term.

Out-of-house versus in-house expertise

Some councils engage consultants to develop their waste management plans or strategies. If this is the case, ensure you have a key staff member closely involved in this process. When it is time to present and communicate your plan or strategy to your council a key staff member will have a stronger rapport with them than a consultant.

Example: Tauranga City Council

The Tauranga City Council, together with the Western Bay of Plenty and Environment Bay of Plenty, engaged a consultant to help develop the Sub-Regional Waste Management Plan. Involving a consultant was a positive and valuable part of the process, and was characterised by the following factors:

  • From the outset it was made clear that the councils were going to drive the process and the role of the consultant was to provide expert advice and to write drafts.
  • It was not a case where a consultant was engaged to go away and write a plan and then present it to staff for approval. Council staff met with the consultant to work through each draft before it was presented to the working party.

For more information contact John Palmer at Tauranga City Council.

Political champion

Get key councillors and/or your entire council behind your waste management planning from the beginning. Make sure they are well informed and have the same agenda for waste management as you do.

Examples

Environment Waikato

Environment Waikato has a very supportive council for issues surrounding waste management planning. The Councillors demanded a waste strategy be prepared after they saw the results of community perception surveys identifying that waste was the second most significant issue for the community.

For more information, contact Robert Brodnax or Cr Lois Livingston at Environment Waikato.

Hamilton City Council

In reviewing its Waste Management Plan, Hamilton City Council established an Industry Waste Working Group. Councillors are represented on the working group which has meant they feel involved in the process and are prepared to champion the issues and talk knowledgeably about the process and the plan to their peers.

For more information contact Tegan McIntyre at Hamilton City Council.

Christchurch City Council

The elected members of Christchurch City Council have been strong supporters of the ideas of council staff and have been prepared to back and implement staff ideas even with substantial associated costs. In 1998 the waste management plan resulted in specific budgets, actions, and commitments. For example, kerbside recycling was supported and introduced by the council even though economically it was difficult to justify.

For more information contact Zefanja Potgieter at Christchurch City Council.

Tauranga City Council

Tauranga City Council, Western Bay of Plenty District Council and Environment Bay of Plenty decided that a joint approach to waste management policy was desirable. In developing the plan a working group was established including two-three politicians from each council. Political representation on the working group meant there was a high level of political support and buy-in to the process, and consequently community buy-in. This approach was vital in obtaining the funding to implement the plan through each council's Annual Plan.

For more information contact John Palmer at the Tauranga City Council.

Write a thorough business case

Have clear, strong, realistic targets and budgets commitments within your business case. When these targets and budgets are adopted you then have clear actions linked to a committed budget.

Examples

Christchurch City Council

Christchurch City Council waste management planning processes provide a good example of how to ensure your waste management targets receive appropriate budget commitments and action.

In 1998 the Christchurch City Council Waste Management Plan resulted in specific budgets and actions, for example, kerbside recycling. Similarly, Part 1 of the Christchurch City Council Waste Management Plan 2003 has clear, strong and realistic targets and was supported by the council. Part 2, which deals with the actions, will be considered by the council in June 2004.

For more information contact Zefanja Potgieter at Christchurch City Council.

Environment Waikato

Environment Waikato values the benefits of writing a good strategy, in particular connecting issues, targets, and methods to budgets. A good plan results in good financial commitment from the council. You can view Environment Waikato's strategy online.

For more information contact Robert Brodnax or Cr Lois Livingston at Environment Waikato.

Links to other planning instruments

If you tie in waste management planning with other planning instruments, resources and actions for waste management are more likely to be committed over the longer term.

  • Long Term Council Community Plans (LTCCP) - you have the option to include waste management planning within your LTCCP. For more information, see Legal Requirements of Waste Management planning.
  • Annual Plans - you can include waste management planning within your annual plan. This is especially useful if you are aiming for 'self-funding' waste management, where you can provide for levies for waste management minimisation through the Local Government Act and full user pays for waste disposal.

Examples

Environment Waikato

Environment Waikato has taken the approach of embedding its waste management strategy as part of the Long Term Council Community Plan (LTCCP) process. The key benefit of this approach is that once embedded and adopted by council, resources are committed and locked into place. Information about the Long Term Council Community Plan is available on the Environment Waikato website.

For more information contact Robert Brodnax or Cr Lois Livingston at Environment Waikato.

North Shore City Council

The North Shore City Council waste levy proposal is included in the council's Long Term Council Community Plan (LTCCP) consultation.

For more information contact Nichol Slaven at North Shore City Council.

Last updated: 5 July 2007