Win for people power

City of Rockingham ratepayers are set to receive a revamped rates notice this year, addressing confusion issues over the City’s controversial electronic tip pass system introduced last year.

In a letter by the City to the Singleton Residents’ Association it advised a full review of the tip pass system, processes and actual passes had been carried out.

In the letter, obtained by the Telegraph, City director of engineering and parks services Chris Thompson said the tip passes would remain bar-coded, but repositioned to the bottom of the rates notice and in a bold colour “so it stands out and is easily recognisable”.

Under the proposed changes, ratepayers will also be allowed to give their tip passes to someone else to dispose of their own residential waste.

A draft proposal of the 2013-14 rates notice was presented to City councillors at a Councillor Information Workshop earlier this month.

SRA committee member Lorraine Cranch said the proposed changes indicated the City had heard the community’s concerns “load and clear”.

The association presented a petition of more than 800 signatures to the council in February, calling on it to revert to its old tip pass system, the same month a City survey revealed accessing the Millar Road Waste Facility was the biggest problem for respondents.

Ms Cranch said she believed the changes would make the tip passes easier to identify and more user-friendly.

“We would like to thank the City of Rockingham for listening to our concerns and, perhaps, next time they consider making changes that affect so many they may consult with their ratepayers first,” she said.