Rotorua rates: Where your money goes | Rotorua News | Local News in Rotorua

On February 14 the Rotorua District Council will consider changing the way rates are allocated across the district. Councillors have signalled a move to a capital value rating system that will soon be released for public consultation. The Daily Post's council and city issues reporter Matthew Martin has put together a series of articles about how your rates are spent and the services they pay for.

Their boss describes their work as a thankless task, but these are the guys who make sure your rubbish bags are picked up each week and the city's rubbish bins get emptied.

The Rotorua District Council's refuse team is made up of 16 full time staff tasked with rubbish bag collection and delivery, litter collection, and the emptying of litter bins and drums in urban and rural areas.

Rubbish truck worker Caleb Bowlin said the job was physically demanding but the pay was good.

"They're a pretty good company to work for, they totally look after you with work boots and a uniform, that sort of thing."

Mr Bowlin said he enjoyed his job but was not so complimentary about people who filled their rubbish bags with dirt.

Forget broken glass, Mr Bowlin said, that was not so much of an issue. "I don't know why people do it but dirt in a rubbish bag is really heavy and a bit of a surprise when you try pick it up.

"The other thing is people not putting their rubbish in proper council bags, we are not supposed to pick those ones up, they have to be official, but heaps of people try it on," he said.

Castlecorp general manager Mike Davies said rubbish collection was a thankless job.

"They get really busy over summer with so many more people in town and campers and holiday-makers leaving their rubbish out at our rural sites," he said.

The team works out of the Castlecorp site on Vaughan Rd picking up your domestic waste in official council rubbish bags provided to ratepayers twice a year. Every residential ratepayer should receive 52 bags a year.

The refuse team are kept busy all year round picking up 2.3 million rubbish bags each year, sending about 8800 tonnes of rubbish to landfill - that's about 552 tonnes per worker or 143,750 rubbish bags each.

RUBBISH COLLECTION:

Every rate payer is entitled to 52 rubbish bags a year, delivered in two drops of 26 bags in urban areas

Council staff deliver about 2.1 million rubbish bags a year

The cost to ratepayers for rubbish bag collection and delivery is $1,584,418 a year

The cost to clear and maintain the city's rubbish bins and drums is $624,000 a year

Rubbish bags cost the council $785,000 a year, they are supplied by Carter Holt Harvey

Council staff collect about 2.35 million rubbish bags a year

Council staff collect about 8840 tonnes of rubbish a year, or 170 tonnes a week