Skip bins in Whitehorse and Banyule

Whitehorse City CouncilWhitehorse: contractors only, private land first

A Whitehorse permit is needed for a skip bin company to place a skip, a shipping container or a similar waste container on Council land: the road, footpath, nature strip, crossing or laneway, for example. On private property no permit is needed, though the skip must be kept in good order.

The council puts the application firmly with the trade: permits go to “skip bin contractors – not residents”, and the permit’s cost is included in the contractor’s hire charge. Whitehorse also says a skip is legal on its streets only with a permit, and should go on the road only when private land is not possible.

How much room a skip must leave

A skip on the roadway goes outside the resident’s or business’s own property, unless the application carries written approval from the occupier of the property next door. It must leave at least 1.8 metres unobstructed from the property line and 0.5 metres from the kerb, at all times. Whitehorse’s conditions also say the skip must not be placed on the nature strip or grass reserve, must not block manholes, hydrants, telephone boxes, taxi ranks or tram and bus stops, and must not stand on a hill or curve with less than 50 metres of clear view. On the road, it carries hazard lighting, reflective tape or both, so approaching drivers can make out its size and shape.

Its placement must meet Part 2.11 of the Whitehorse Community Local Law 2024, the VicRoads code of practice of January 2001, and the principles of the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and related codes and standards, so that it does not endanger or impede pedestrians. General parking rules still apply, and a skip permit does not override clearway or freeway parking restrictions.

While it is there

The skip must carry the business name, the supplier’s name and contact phone numbers. It has to be kept in an acceptable state of repair and cleanliness: spillage is cleaned up immediately, and the bin is kept clear of graffiti. The permit is valid only for its stated period, must be shown to an authorised council officer who asks, and the holder must follow any direction from Victoria Police or an authorised officer, including to remove the skip.

The holder must keep to every condition at all times. A skip on Council land that does not comply can bring fines and may be impounded, with all the costs charged directly to the skip’s owner. If the conditions are broken, the permit may also be cancelled, penalties may apply, council costs may be charged to the holder, goods or equipment may be impounded, and future applications may be declined.

Banyule City CouncilBanyule: five steps, set out for you

Banyule asks for a permit if a hired skip or container will go where public access has to be closed or restricted, or anywhere on public land. That includes a street or road managed by Banyule or VicRoads, and any footpath, nature strip or public laneway. A skip on a private driveway or private land needs no permit.

Unlike most councils in this guide, Banyule’s page speaks to “you” throughout and does not say the skip company must apply. So in Banyule it is worth settling, before you book, who will make the application and who will write and deliver the letter to the neighbours if one is needed. Its steps:

1. Location

   Find out who manages the spot. Banyule manages most local streets, but VicRoads manages some. Its page gives contacts for checking.

2. VicRoads memorandum of authority

   If VicRoads manages the location, a memorandum of authority must be applied for first. It is not needed where Banyule manages the location.

3. Courtesy letter

   If public access will be closed or restricted, every home and business within 150 metres must be told, at least 7 days before the skip arrives, and you must hand out the letter yourself. It should be short and clear, and say when the skip will be placed and collected, how big it is and where it will go. A draft goes in with the application.

4. Application

   Apply through the council’s form for a skip that restricts public access.

5. Outcome

   Banyule says it will respond within 5 working days and talk through the draft letter and any next steps.

Under its heading on fines, Banyule warns that a skip placed where public access is restricted will be impounded, and may also bring a fine; its page gives the amount.

ElsewhereThe other councils

The south-east guide covers Stonnington, Glen Eira, Bayside, Kingston and Monash, and Boroondara has a guide of its own.