Kiama Council has moved to ease fears that waste collection will be outsourced amid concern in the community about potential job losses and a reduction in service quality.

But the United Services Union has warned ratepayers that any move towards outsourcing would have detrimental consequences for the level of service that the community receives.

As part of its rolling program of service reviews, Council is conducting an internal review of domestic waste management.

A councillor briefing was held last week on 12 August to outline the findings of the draft review and the anticipated recommendations.

Council is in the process of providing feedback to the consultants who prepared the draft before receiving a final version which will then be presented to Councillors.

A spokesperson said Council understands “there is concern among staff regarding the potential outcomes, however no decisions have been made at this stage as the Domestic Waste Management service review is still ongoing”.

Council will continue to engage with staff and stakeholders throughout this process and will provide updates as the review progresses.

Regular service reviews are a legislative requirement of local government organisations.

“At Kiama Council, our focus is on ensuring efficiency, value for money and strategic alignment across the organisation,” the spokesperson said.

“The aim is to retain all staff and, if it becomes necessary, to redeploy them where appropriate.

“Council has been open and transparent about the fact we are conducting these service reviews and our executives and managers team regularly meet with and brief staff and Councillors as part of the process.”

USU southern branch organiser Rudi Oppitz said the union was holding regular conversations with its membership and Council management.

“We’re talking to Kiama Council and letting them know that we object to outsourcing of Council work, particularly around the waste and additional work that flows from waste,” he said.

“That belongs to our members and should be carried out by our membership.

“We’re keeping a very close eye on any activity that could see the loss of positions and jobs at that Council.

“We know what the double-speak relating to reviews taking place and all that sort of things, and assertions being made at the managerial level that there’s nothing to see here.

“Nine times out of 10 there’s something that’s on foot that unless the union intervenes, it could cost our members jobs or positions.

“This Council doesn’t have a very good track record in terms of outsourcing and the grounds for which it does outsourcing so it’s certainly for our office a Council we’re keeping a very close eye on.”

Oppitz added that Council waste collection staff have “pride in the work they do” to ensure the waste collection process runs smoothly.

“The ratepayers have every right to be anxious and concerned,” he added.

“Our members that do this work at the moment, there is an additional touch in the service because they live in the community they live in.

“You don’t get the same service from multinational organisations.

“I’m yet to see any outsourced service where it becomes cheaper for the ratepayer. The level of service disappears as well. You’re nothing more than just a number.”

A Waste Services review was reported to Council on 21 January with the business case reported on 24 February.

These were confidential reports due to the commercial in confidence information contained within.

A subsequent Report for Information was reported to Council’s 20 May meeting, flagging an additional service review, specifically for domestic waste management and this report was made publicly available.