There are methods to relocate and catch the people moving the trolleys, and control the supermarkets. The supermarkets don't really care
- Henry Meskauskas
MAITLAND Council has officially declared war on the city's feral shopping trolley problem - but not every councillor is impressed with the plan of attack.
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This week, council pushed through a motion calling for a report on local and state government policies on abandoned shopping trolleys, and solutions are available to council.
The amendment was tabled by long term advocate, Labor councillor Henry Meskauskas.
Cr Meskauskas has spent years pushing for a harder line from council on the city's feral shopping trolley problem.
As part of the motion, council officers will prepare a report on all of council's and the state government's policies on the collection of abandoned shopping trolleys, as well as write to Maitland's supermarkets.
Cr Meskaukas said it was time for the city to stop looking like a "junkyard", especially when new technologies were available to track the rogue trolleys.
"There are methods to relocate and catch the people moving the trolleys, and control the supermarkets. The supermarkets don't really care," he said. However Labor councillor Robert Aitchison shot down the motion as not tackling the larger issue.
"I don't believe we are fixing the problem. We need to change the community's attitude. We need to tell the community that it is not right to dump trolleys," he said.
"Would it not be better to start a campaign talking to the community? The rangers are better off going to the root of the problem. It should not be council's burden."
The motion received majority of support, aside from Cr Aitchison and Liberal councillor Sally Halliday who voted against it.
Liberal councillor Ben Mitchell said he believed the preparation of a report was a "sensible" amendment.
"Cr Meskauskas has advocated action on this issue for a very long time," Cr Mitchell said.
"I think this motion gives council officers a wider scope to come back with a solution that complies with the state policy. If we can come back with a report which suggests a better outcome, I think that's a better way to go."
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