Bayside ratepayers cop parking fines because council did not send out permits
Multiple Bayside ratepayers who copped fines because they did not receive beach parking permits are fuming but at least two have fought the penalties all the way to court.
Inner South
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Furious ratepayers have copped hefty fines because of a council bungle.
Bayside Council sends out highly coveted beach carparking permits every three years with rates notices.
But several people — including a council employee — told the Leader they didn’t get the new permits with their 2017/18 notices.
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East Brighton mum Eva Gregorich fought the council all the way to court after she was pinged at the Beach North Road carpark for not displaying the correct permit.
Ms Gregorich said she realised her permit was out-of-date only when she arrived at the beach in November 2017.
She immediately rang the council and was told there “had been an issue this year and some permits did not go out”.
Ms Gregorich was told her permits would be mailed out shortly but she could come and pick them up that day.
As this wasn’t possible at the time, she left a note on her windscreen explaining the situation but was slapped with a $79 fine regardless.
She fought it at the Moorabbin Magistrates Court last month after the council refused to overturn it.
Ms Gregorich was advised by the magistrate to plead guilty, which she did, and in return she would not have to pay the fine or court costs.
She said she is still “disappointed” that she felt “forced” to plead guilty.
“I paid my rates, which entitled me to the parking sticker,” she said. “It was the council’s failure to send me the permit which caused this issue.
“I am appalled at the time and costs Bayside Council (wasted) to prosecute this case, when their own administrative failings led to the incident in the first place,” she said.
Bayside City Planning and Community Services director Dr Hamish Reid said it is the responsibility of the resident to ensure that the correct permit is displayed.
He also said the council advertised on several platforms to inform ratepayers the permits were up for renewal.
“To alert residents that new permits were being issued, 56 temporary signs were installed along the foreshore between September 2017 and February 2018,” Dr Reid said.
Ms Gregorich said she didn’t see any advertising but would have preferred the council had just mailed her permit.
Brighton ratepayer Jim Koumbarakos copped a fine in similar circumstances and also had his fine dismissed by the court.
“For me it’s a scam, it’s a farce, it’s a rort, I can’t believe the council can look at this situation and still make the decision to fine me,” he said.
The council has issued more than 6000 infringements for vehicles not displaying a valid ticket or valid permit since the new permits were issued in November 2017.
It has increased its parking fine infringement and court recovery income by more than $200,000 in the past 12 months.
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