Mornington Peninsula council to rethink massive increase in beach box licence fees

Owners of iconic beach boxes dotting foreshores around the Mornington Peninsula are celebrating after the council agreed to reconsider a 170 per cent rise in licence fees. But mayor David Gill says the move could lead to even higher charges.

Mt Martha beach boxes.

Mornington Peninsula Shire mayor David Gill wants beach box fees hiked even higher than the $720 — $1200 amount approved earlier this year.

Cr Gill said owners of the sheds had “exclusive access to some of the best real estate” on the peninsula which they can sell “for hundreds of thousands of dollars without paying land tax.” and therefore should be charged accordingly.

Welcoming a review, Cr Gill said he was “all for it”.

“It give us a chance to have a really good look at the fees. I’d like to see a fee that better reflects the value of the licence on the open market, which would be higher again than what was decided on in June,” he said.

The council has voted in favour of taking another look at license fees, which were increased by up to 170 per cent earlier this year.

In June the council decided to scrap a set fee of $445 in favour of a variable fee that would see it increase to between $720 and $1200 per boat shed.

The move angered boat shed owners who have since been pushing for a rethink.

Mornington Peninsula Beach Box Association president Chris Maine said owners had been “shut-out” of the process.

“Our position is that the licence fees should be based on a professional value assessment,” Mr Maine said.

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He said Cr Gill had “an unusual view of property economics”.

Cr Antonella Celi asked officers at a meeting last night for a “complete review of bathing box licence fees” that included consultation with licensees and the wider community.

Cr Celi wanted the review completed and provided to the council before budget planning began in November.

She told the council that bathing box owners did not have a “fundamental problem with the expectation of paying their just dues towards rates, fees and charges”.

But she said owners wanted any increase to be “justified, evidence based” and “fair and reasonable”.

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