In April 2012 Nelson City Council and Tasman District Council adopted its first Joint Waste Management and Minimisation Plan (JWMMP). That Plan included a goal to jointly make the most effective and efficient use of the Councils’ respective landfills, York Valley and Eves Valley. Investigation showed, in the first instance, joint use of Nelson’s York Valley landfill was the most cost-effective approach and this was consulted on in 2014.

Further work on the project resulted in a proposal for the two landfills to be combined under a joint venture model, with each Council having a 50% share. Both Councils agreed to a valuation of each landfill operation. This was peer reviewed and submitted to both Councils in February 2016.

The Valuation Report showed that Nelson’s landfill had a higher value due to available space under the resource consent. Consequently, it was agreed by both Councils that to establish the 50:50 share in the landfill operations, Tasman District Council would make a $4.2 million balancing payment to Nelson City Council.

The proposal was for the joint entity to use a model similar to the Nelson Regional Sewerage Business Unit which has looked after both Councils’ interests successfully for the past 15 years effective from 1 July 2017.