Whanganui Resource Recovery Centre coming under council control from June 24

Dale Cobb says a core group of customers will continue to use the centre. Photo / Bevan Conley

After 10 years, a new era is set to begin at the Whanganui Resource Recovery Centre.

The Whanganui District Council will take over operations from the centre’s trust from June 24, coinciding with the council’s new kerbside recycling service.

That kicks off on July 1.

This week, council waste advisor Stuart Hylton told the council’s operations and performance committee work had been going on behind the scenes to ensure a smooth transition.

He said council was currently looking for a team leader for the facility.

“The message is the Resource Recovery Centre is open for business and will be open for business, contrary to some of the noises out in the community,” Hylton said.

“We have transitioned staff and sought to redeploy them under a council.

“There were a couple within the office, including the manager, that took the opportunity to get jobs elsewhere.”

Outgoing manager Dale Cobb was in the role for more than five years.

He told the Chronicle the centre had “a really positive vibe” when he arrived.

“The connection between council and iwi - working collectively on that project - was a really good success story.

“There was a core group of valued customers who liked the idea of interaction with our staff and with me.

“We were lucky to have those key people in the community because they made it all worthwhile.”

Cobb said as years went by, there was more demand to introduce a kerbside service, especially from those who had moved to the city from other centres.

“I think the council was in a place where they had to listen to the people, and a year or two ago, the people spoke and said they wanted kerbside more than the concept of going down to the recycling centre.”

In 2022, the council opened public submissions on the adoption of a kerbside service, with 170 in favour and 90 against.

Last year, the Government announced that kerbside recycling needed to be available to all urban households by 2027.

Whanganui Resource Recovery Centre Trust chairman Ken Mair.

Cobb said the core group would still use the centre.

“Some were obviously living on their own. That was their daily outing, their daily interaction, and it was a task they absolutely loved.

“We were never short of treats and we were certainly well fed, if I’m being honest.

“The community acknowledged and recognised the service our team as a whole was providing.”

The idea for a recycling centre came from charitable organisation Sustainable Whanganui.

Hylton said trustees should be recognised for their work as custodians of the facility over the last 10 years.

Ken Mair, Whanganui Resource Recovery Centre Trust chairman, said dedicated recyclers in the community had made great use of the centre since it opened in 2014.

“We are proud of the effort the Resource Recovery Centre staff have put into providing this service that’s made an important impact on looking after te taiao – the natural environment – over the last 10 years.”

Cobb said in terms of staff, there had been some really good characters at the centre.

Mair had “gone into bat” for existing staff members as the transition process unfolded.

“I have to mention my administrator Gaylene Tiatia, who was with me from day one.

“It was so beneficial for me to have her knowledge and experience. She helped me a lot.”

There was not a lot of profit in recycling anymore and “managing negative balances” had put a strain on the trust, Cobb said.

He wished the council and community all the best with the transition to the kerbside service.

“There is a lot of negative out there but I think we don’t know until we’ve given it a try.

“I’m sure things will smooth out over time.”

Cobb said the key role of centre staff was to educate the public, “not to do the work for you”.

“It’s an important role and a pretty thankless role at times, especially when there are interactions with grumpy members of the public.

“Now, when people come to the window and say ‘I pay my rates and I pay your wages’, it will be true because it’s full council.

“That was always a contentious issue at the centre because we were under the trust. The trust was separate.”

Part of the centre will be closed for three weeks from July 1. Photo / Bevan Conley.

Hylton said three trucks would be used for the new kerbside service - operated by Low Cost Bins.

Glass, mixed plastics, cans and tins will go to the Low Cost Bins site at Liffiton St and cardboard and paper will go to the baling shed at the centre.

Part of the centre will be closed for three weeks from July 1 so repairs can be made to the baling shed roof.

A fire damaged the building last December.

Customers will not be able to drop off paper, cardboard and all plastics during this time but all other materials, including glass, steel tins, aluminium cans, green waste and batteries are still able to be taken there.

Cobb said his proudest achievement was never dumping any materials into landfill - “as much as the public think we did”.

“Overall, the good far outweighed the bad. It was a pleasure to be part of and it’s great to see it continue.

“I was very overprotective of my staff because I know the pressures they were under, every minute, every hour, every day.

“Happy staff means a happy centre.”

He has taken up a new role, as an employment consultant at Workbridge.

He said he would have weekends and public holidays off for the first time in over 20 years.

“The biggest thing for me is the journey and changing people’s lives,” Cobb said.

“That’s our (Workbridge’s) vision and goal - to give people hope and opportunity.

“To all those organisations that I’ve had networks with in the past, get ready because I’ll be calling and knocking on your doors very soon.”

Mike Tweed is an assistant news director and multimedia journalist at the Whanganui Chronicle. Since starting in March 2020, he has dabbled in everything from sport to music. At present his focus is local government, primarily the Whanganui District Council.