I've just looked up our new rates.

New rates: $3218.01. Current rates: $2715.22. Difference: $502.79

The $502.79 increase in total rates bill includes $210 for the new general waste and recycling collection, plus we've also chosen to take up council's garden waste collection which is $95 - so that's $315 for all of our waste and recycling needs, of which we're very happy with the service to date.

Previous to this new collection we'd been paying $331.50 per year to JJ Richards for general waste and garden waste bins, for twice-monthly collection of what were smaller bins than the council provided. Plus, we've had the frustrating issue with recycling building up in our garage ‘til we could find the time to take three car loads of recycling to the transfer station.

So, not only are we spending less on general waste, garden waste and recycling, we also have larger bins and are actively recycling plastic, paper, glass and (my favourite bit) food waste. PLUS we have more room in our garage AND no time and resources are wasted going to the transfer station - win, win, win.

In my opinion, the waste and recycling scheme should have been in situ years ago, so I'm not paying too much attention to that as per above, our household was already spending $331.50 for general and garden waste collection.

So, our actual rates increase is realistically just $187.79 a year … that's $15.65 per month or $3.62 per week of actual rates increases.

The total increase in our rates bill equates to approximately one less DIY cappuccino per week – whoop-de-doo (bummer I don't drink coffee).

Greg Reardon, Papamoa Beach (abridged).