A planned trial to reintroduce scheduled bulk verge collections in four suburbs of the City of Stirling is facing uncertainty after costs came in far higher than expected, leaving the project's future in doubt.
Trial Details and Budget Concerns
The two-year trial was originally scheduled to begin in August in Balga, Mirrabooka, Nollamara, and Westminster. However, the city has yet to secure a suitable contractor after two rounds of quotations attracted limited interest from the market.
More than 20 major sector providers were approached, but only one offer was received in each process. Both quotes significantly exceeded the allocated budget of $588,452. The most recent offer was 138 per cent above budget, totalling more than $1.4 million.
If the council agrees to award the contract at $1.4 million, city officers warned it could lead to additional costs for some ratepayers. A report noted that the cost could be funded through a separate charge to owners or occupiers in the Balga ward or drawn from the strategic development waste reserve.
Recommendation to Reject Quote
City officers are recommending that the council reject the $1.4 million quote on the grounds that it does not represent good value for money. Instead, they propose a public tender process to test the broader market and secure a more competitive outcome.
“While the submission met the non-price requirements and no probity, financial viability or work health and safety issues were identified, the quoted rates are considered not to represent good value for money,” officers stated in the report.
Market Interest and Industry Constraints
The lack of interest from the market appears to stem from limited industry appetite for short-term loose bulk waste contracts. Providers cited resource constraints, lack of alignment with core business activities, and safety risks as primary reasons for not bidding.
The City of Stirling replaced traditional junk verge collections with a bookable skip bin system in 2014. However, in August last year, councillors voted 9-5 in favour of a return to the scheduled format in the four suburbs, with a trial planned for the 2026-27 and 2027-28 financial years.
Community Push for Change
The move to reintroduce bulk verge collections was led by Balga ward Councillor Michael Dudek, who said he was responding to requests from community members struggling with limited property space or delays in booking skip bins.
If the trial proceeds as planned, residents in each of the four suburbs will receive one scheduled bulk verge collection per year, along with entitlement to one on-demand skip bin, reduced from the usual two.
Next Steps
The recommendation to reject the $1.4 million offer and proceed to public tender was discussed at the city’s policy committee on Tuesday night. Councillors are expected to vote on the matter at their June meeting.
The outcome will determine whether the trial moves forward or remains in limbo.
