Wingecarribee Shire Council requested a report on the Highlands Waste Services debt in March 2007 after Cr Jim Mauger raised questions about a move to write off the outstanding Resource Recovery Centre charges.

Highlands Waste Services. trading as C.J. Recycling Pty Ltd, was listed among $59,905.63 of bad debts that were to be written off from June 30, 2006, as approved by a finance committee meeting at council on February 21, 2007.

Mr Johns was named as the sole director of Highlands Waste Services.

Council’s legal committee reconsidered the list of debts on May 23, 2007, and recommended the debts be written off, excluding the Highlands Waste Service debt.

Following a question with notice to Wednesday’s council meeting, Cr Larry Whipper moved that further information be provided regarding whether council had issued a statement of liquidated claim against Highlands Waste Services.

Cr Whipper also asked who was responsible for pursuing the debt and why ordinary residents of the shire were being pursued for much smaller amounts when this debt had been outstanding for so long.

Director of corporate services Barry Paull said council had been through the process of debt collection and could not recover the debt.

In response to Mr Paull’s request for further direction, council will seek a written response from its debt collection agency and a second opinion from its solicitors.

For the full story see the Southern Highland News, Monday, April 28