Mornington Peninsula beach box owners demand rate refund and better deal from council
The pretty beachside sheds have graced Mornington Peninsula beaches for decades. But many owners say ownership has now become so onerous and expensive, there’s just no point anymore. So what’s gone wrong?
South East
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Angry beach box owners want Mornington Peninsula Shire to be stripped of its right to manage the foreshore structures in the wake of “fee gouging” and a plan to limit ownership.
The council has been flooded with objections to its controversial draft beach box and bathing shed policy.
The proposed policy includes higher charges and ownership criteria that mean only shire residents or ratepayers could hold licences.
More than 10 per cent of the 233 submissions to the council regarding its 2020/2021 Budget were from beach box owners.
Tony White said the costs were “completely out of line with other owners around the Bay”.
By comparison Kingston Council charges beach box owners a flat fee of $1200.
Mr White said it would be “appropriate considering the attitude of the council and the recent sacking of the Casey Council (as a result of serious corruption allegations)” that management of the beach boxes be removed from the council and handed to the State Government.
Sandi Lord, who owns a beach box at Ranelagh Beach, Mt Eliza, said all owners should be reimbursed for the extra licence fees paid in 2019/2020.
In 2018/19 Ms Lord paid $939.35 in collective rates including a licence fee of $445 for her beach box.
Last financial year she was charged $1669.35 after the council raised licence fees to $1200.
“In one year my beach box rates have collectively increased by 80 per cent and the licence fee has increased by 170 per cent,” Ms Lord said.
She said if household rates were consistent with beach box rates, the average Mornington Peninsula house would attract rates of $10,762.
Jo McCray said the rates bill for her Rosebud boatshed was higher than that for her three bedroom, two bathroom house in McCrae.
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She paid $1345 for the beach box compared to $1284 for the McCrae property.
Budget submissions were heard by councillors and staff on a private Zoom meeting on June 2.
No decisions were made but a report will be prepared for the council to consider before finalising its 2020/2021 Budget.