Mornington Peninsula Council amends draft budget in bid to trim beach box licence fees
Boat shed owners have endured a stormy couple of years. Their licence fees more than doubled and they were hit with a controversial waste charge to boot. But now it appears the sand has shifted.
South East
Don't miss out on the headlines from South East . Followed categories will be added to My News.
An “unfair and exorbitant” licence fee hike for Mornington Peninsula beach boxes is a step closer to being scrapped.
Mornington Peninsula Shire councillors last night voted to consider a flat fee of $900 for its 823 beach boxes – except those less than five square metres – during its budget deliberations next month.
Owners of smaller boat sheds would be charged $700.
Rates and waste charges would still be charged.
If adopted as part of the 2020/21 Budget the decision would shrink the council’s expected revenue by about $190,000
The change of heart followed a flood of submissions from beach box owners angry about recent “fee gouging” by the council.
Last year licence fees for beach boxes increased by up to 170 per cent when a flat fee of $445 was replaced with a variable charge of between $720 and $1200 per boat shed.
As a result many locals were paying higher rates for their beach box than a three-bedroom house in the region.
Last night Cr Antonella Celi proposed a more “equitable approach” based on community feedback including a submission from the Mornington Peninsula Beach Box Association.
She said the licence fee increase discriminated against a section of the community.
“The fee is unfair and exorbitant,” Cr Celi said.
Association president Mark Davis was pleased with the decision.
“We need to wait and see if the revised budget is accepted and passed by the councillors on July 14,” he said.
Mr Davis said while most councillors supported the reduced charge he was disappointed that some, including David Gill and Hugh Fraser continued to favour “fee gouging”.
MORE NEWS
HUNT FOR YOUTHS AFTER WATER BOMB CAUSES CAR CRASH
BIZARRE DESIGNER ITEMS STOLEN FROM PENINSULA HOMES
HOW TO BEAT SCHOOL HOLIDAY BOREDOM
Cr Gill argued that owning a beach box was a luxury that should be paid for.
He said under the existing fee structure owners paid about $30 a week to have “exclusive rights to Crown land”.
The council is expected to consider its 2020/21 budget on July 14.
The document has already been on public exhibition and submissions were heard at a special meeting on June 3.