Cut in hours to remain

A reduction in hours for Whangarei's eight rural rubbish transfer stations will remain despite public backlash.

Public backlash has not reversed a reduction in hours at Whangarei's eight rural rubbish transfer stations.

A schedule confirmed by the district council cuts hours at some transfer stations to half what they were at the start of last year.

It will be in place permanently from the end of March following more than a year of trial hours, some of which were irregular and confusing for the public.

Now, Whangarei District councillors hope a regular but still reduced schedule will placate the rural people upset by the cuts - and save the council $168,000 per year.

Councillor Shelley Deeming said the amount saved was not worth it and described the hours cut as a "governance issue".

"Staff have tried to carry out what is a ridiculous request from this council and with due respect we are not meeting the needs of our rural people, not by any stretch of the imagination."

Since the new hours were implemented, the council received 38 complaints about rubbish being dumped at transfer station gates, compared with eight the year before.

Thirty-six of the complaints came during the most severe cuts during the winter.

WDC's eight rural transfer stations will open for 217 hours in winter and 261 in summer.

Winter hours are from March 29 until October 21.