Increases to solid waste fees in Invercargill and Bluff proposed

Solid waste costs in Invercargill and Bluff could rise by between 10 and 18 percent in the next financial year.

The changes are among those proposed in Invercargill City Council’s Fees and Charges schedule.

Public consultation on the proposed changes was open until 24 April.

Councillor Alex Crackett – the chair of Council’s Infrastructure and Growth Committee – said at the Invercargill Waste Transfer Station, cash minimum fees were proposed to change from $11.90 in 2025/2026, to $13.90, while account minimums were proposed to rise from $23.80 to $27.70. General waste per tonne would also increase, from $428 to $497.90.

Meanwhile, at the Bluff Waste Transfer Station, fees for cars would go from $20 to $23.30, fees for station wagons would rise from $31.80 to $37, and utes/vans from $51.80 to $60.30. The cost for trailers were also proposed to increase, with single-axles going from $81.70 to $95, and tandem-axles from $137.40 to $159.80.

“I want to be upfront that these increases are largely being driven by changes from central Government, particularly the rising waste levy over the past few years,” she said.

“We’ve had to make a call about how that cost is carried, whether it sits across all ratepayers or more directly with those using the service and neither option comes without impact.

“The reality is the cost of delivering this service hasn’t gone down, it’s gone up, and we have to be transparent about that. If we don’t recover it through fees, it ultimately comes back on rates, so this is about being clear and fair about where those costs sit,” she said.

“There’s no easy answer here, and that’s why we’re asking the community to have their say before any final decisions are made.”

Council’s Group Manager Finance and Assurance Patricia Christie said three new fees had also been added to the fees and charges schedule for 2026/2027.

A collection service for solid waste in the central business district was an existing service, however fees for this had until now been omitted from the fees and charges schedule.

Meanwhile, the replacement bin fee was charged by WasteCo, however it had been added to Council’s fees and charges schedule for transparency – as had the $20 charge to replace a solid waste account holder’s identification tag. This charge was already outlined in the terms and conditions for accounts, and provided to customers during the account application process, but had not previously been included in the fees and charges schedule.

Council reviewed its Fees and Charges schedule each year. For 2026/2027, the majority of its fees were proposed to increase by between 5 and 15 percent: a reflection of rising service delivery costs, including inflation, corporate overheads to support services within the community, and Council’s rate increase.

Other increases proposed for the upcoming financial year included a 10 percent rise in fees to visit Splash Palace, and bus fees were also proposed to rise by between 10 and 14 percent.

Parks fees were also set to rise by between 10 and 15 percent, while two new fees for the Bluff Boat Ramp – an annual commercial permit fee, and a club use discount – were proposed to be introduced.

Submissions on the proposed fees and charges schedule could be made in-person at Splash Palace, Invercargill Public Library, the Bluff Service Centre, and Te Hīnaki – Civic Building.

Further information and online submissions could also be made at letstalk.icc.govt.nz

Council was scheduled to adopt its 2026/2027 Fees and Charges schedule in June.