In a move not seen since before COVID, cash payments will be reintroduced to Tamworth's Forest Road Waste Facility, if council gives it the tick of approval at its upcoming meeting.
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Cash payments at the facility were ceased during the COVID outbreak, but even as the rules around COVID were relaxed, council made the decision not to reintroduce cash payments, because it was thought that customers had become so used to paying by card.
![TRC plans to reintroduce cash payments at its Forest Road waste facility. Picture from file. TRC plans to reintroduce cash payments at its Forest Road waste facility. Picture from file.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/36FM9qHpEAtS8daVXYFgHBA/d43e58ca-f447-41c9-920e-69883ec1c2f3.jpg/r0_0_1200_675_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
It was also easier for staff not to have to contend with the issues surrounding cash payments, such as "balancing the daily float and security of the cash", according to a report to go to councillors on Tuesday, October 24.
However, weighbridge staff are also having to regularly refuse payments on the basis of only accepting card payments, which has "displeased" some customers, "which staff then have to manage", the report says.
"The staff concerned believe that the benefits of providing cash transactions outweigh the negative aspects of cash handling," the report continues.
"In addition to the benefits for customers, reintroducing cash at FRWF provides an alternative payment method when IT systems are down.
"IT systems at the site fail on occasion and when this occurs there are financial implications to Council."
However, the reintroduction of cash will also have implications for staff management at the end of the day.
The report suggests closing the facility 15 minutes earlier - at 4:30pm instead of 4:45pm - will allow staff to count cash payments.
"A second benefit of the earlier closing time is to provide staff with more time to cover the active landfill cell with clean fill [soil] to comply with the Environmental Licence requirements without customers and vehicles, allowing for improved end of day cover results," the report states.
As an added bonus council will be upgrading on site electricity and installing IT networks at each of its rural sites to enable EFTPOS payments.
The report states that "because of a lack of electricity and internet capability at some/all of Council's 10 rural waste facilities, cash payments have been the only possible means of transacting to date".
"This has been a source of frustration for rural customers."
A number of sites are ready to go live with EFTPOS payments and the remaining sites are waiting on NBN installations.
It is anticipated all of council's rural sites will have card payment capabilities prior to Christmas, along with cash payments.
Tamworth Regional Council will next meet on Tuesday, October 24.
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