Last year councillors resolved to close the Eucumbene Waste Transfer Station (EWTS) and the gates were locked on January 4. Protesters say planning documents prepared for SRSC advocate further cuts to waste services.

Former SRSC engineer Phil Daley of Dalgety said he was protesting the inequity of closing or restricting the hours of waste facilities where residents received no kerbside collections.

“The [SRSC waste services strategic business] plan on public exhibition does nothing for the shire, it only closes the Berridale and Dalgety waste facilities in time,” Mr Daley said.

“The only thing open to us now is to pester councillors with phone calls, letters and emails. One thing’s for sure, [waste services] will get worse before they get better,” Mr Daley said.

SRSC general manager from 1999 to 2004 Ross McKinney organised Tuesday’s protest asking concerned residents to “show their dissatisfaction”. He said when he was general manager, waste charges were $50 as opposed to $299 and services were better.

Submissions to SRSC on their draft waste plan closed Monday. In his address to council Mr McKinney said he had seen little point making a submission as his previous submission to keep the Eucumbene Waste Transfer Station (EWTS) open had received only an acknowledgement.

Mayor John Cahill said approximately half the submissions in the round Mr McKinney referred to advocated closing all waste facilities other than Jindabyne Landfill. Cr Cahill said: “We didn’t act on those submissions, either”.

Mark Winter was scheduled to address councillors on behalf of the Rocky Plain Progress Association at Tuesday’s meeting but cancelled. Mr Winter said negotiations with SRSC about waste services at Rocky Plain and Eucumbene Cove were progressing and therefore he did not feel the need to make an address.