A joint private-public venture to provide waste services in the future is to be pursued by the Waitaki District Council, despite some public concerns over the effect it could have on a community-owned recycling operation.
But councillors are adamant they want the community group, Waitaki Resource Recovery Trust (WRRT) to be involved in developing an implementation plan.
The council, after considering three proposals, selected Chinese-owned Waste Management Ltd to partner with to build an Oamaru transfer station and put in place disposal of waste after the Oamaru landfill closes in 2016.
On Wednesday, when it considered that, it also added that WRRT would be involved with the council in meetings to set up the joint venture.
That, Cr Hugh Perkins said, sent a strong message to the community the council supported WRRT's future involvement.
At a public forum before the council meeting, Gail May-Sherman preferred the council handle the waste stream itself, rather than in a joint venture with a foreign-owned company, because it was a community resource.
''If not, at least I request you work out the details with community involvement, including with WRRT,'' she said.
WRRT should have first control of all recyclable material, but she was concerned that under the council's proposal it would be cut off.
Hampden Community Energy's Dugald MacTavish was also worried about the effect on WRRT, which provided support to his group's recycling at the Hampden transfer station.
He wanted the council to take control of the district's waste services, introduce a recycling system at source (such as homes and businesses), require all recyclables to go to the Waitaki Resource Recovery Park and all waste to a council-owned transfer station for further processing and transfer to a landfill.
If the council still wanted a joint venture, WRRT should get rights to all recyclable material, community recyclers such as the Hampden group should participate in developing the guidelines for the joint venture and the council should reserve the right to develop an alternative if it could not reach a satisfactory resolution.
