Sutherland Shire Council considers fee increase for outdoor fitness class trainers

Personal trainers and sport coaches fear they will not be able to operate their businesses if they are slugged with a $1000 fee hike by Sutherland Council to run sessions in parks and reserves.

There are 30 registered fitness providers with permits who pay $265 for an annual permit fee but if a new policy is adopted, they will be charged a $1,250. Generic picture: Sutherland Shire Council

Personal trainers and sport coaches fear they will not be able to operate their businesses if they are slugged with a $1000 fee increase to run fitness sessions in council parks and reserves.

Councillors will debate the Draft Use of Public Open Space by Commercial Sport and Fitness Trainers Policy at a Sutherland Council meeting on Monday.

There are 30 registered fitness providers with permits this year who currently pay $265 for an annual permit fee for commercial use or hire of council facilities but if the new policy is adopted, they will be charged a $1250 fee for four to 10 participants.

The fee will increase to $4500 for groups up to 20 people.

Jen Craven – who operates a registered business in the Menai area doing outdoor training and yoga, and works alone six morning a week – said “for many trainers it was a part time job”.

There are number of restrictions on how outdoor fitness classes can operate. Generic picture

“The fees will be more than we make,” she said. “I have an average of 10 people in my classes. My permit runs out at the end June. I won’t pay the new fees that’s for sure. I have full insurance and will keep that current.”

Alice Willenbrock, a personal trainer and yoga therapist who works from Caringbah McGrath Oval and Miranda Seymour Shaw Park, said she will be forced to run sessions out of her garage instead of the park.

“With such a jump in fees, I will be forced to stop operating in the parks,” she said. “I only see a few clients a week so the added cost for the individual if I were to pass on the fee increase to my clients would be significant.

“As many of my clients struggle with the current financial situation, are on pensions or the NDIS, I feel it is unfair to pass the cost onto my clients who are already disadvantaged- however at the same time, it is those clients who often need my services the most.”

Ms Willenbrock said her clients didn’t feel comfortable in a gym or can’t afford to commit to a 12-month membership.

She said she didn’t mind paying to be a permit holder but the increase was too much but there was no added benefit to an increase in community facilities such as toilets.

Trainer Simone Hayes said her fees would increase to $4500 and was for each of her three trainers who work for her.

“So I wont be able to afford staff anymore which means I cant take a day off, or go on holidays or get sick,” she said. “I’m hoping I won’t have to pass onto customers as times are already tough enough for a lot of them so fitness would be the first thing to go if I did.”

Ms Hayes said despite having to pay $4500 she had no protection from weather, power, lights, and the ground surface is often dirty and she had to pick up dog poo.

She has been a permit holder since 2010 and mainly work from Gymea Bay Oval and runs a one-hour class five days a week, with numbers varying between five and 25 people. The fees are also on top of insurance that trainers need to pay.

Groups are also prohibited from using facilities such as picnic benches, poles and balustrades and that has not changed under the new policy.

The council report states the fee increase was “out of line” with other councils, and the additional money would be used to improve facilities.

It is estimated that the fees would generate $100,000 per annum, based on current permit numbers, and would support maintenance and investment programs in council’s open space facilities.

“Of particular note is the large volume of commercial sport training that is occurring on synthetic surfaces at Kareela, as well as both synthetic athletic tracks at Sylvania and The Ridge,” the report said.

“Each of these venues require significant maintenance and replacement to those surfaces where there is a direct association with the frequency of use on those surfaces.

“Bayside, Georges River, Wollongong, Northern Beaches and Waverley councils, the fees for groups up to ten in a class ranged from $1,043 to $2,292.

“Given that these councils can maintain high levels of outdoor fitness activities and within a fee structure that is consistent to that recommended by Sutherland Shire Council of $1250, it is proposed to adjust the group sizes for each category than adjusting any proposed fees,” the report said.

In April, the council placed the policy on public exhibition where 166 submissions were received.