By YASEMIN TALAT
FORMER Brimbank mayor Sam David has hit out against proposed changes to the Sports Facility Hire, Licences and Leases Agreement Policy (2006), which will see an increase in fees and charges to sports clubs across the municipality.
His comments come after Brimbank City Council last week launched a proposed update to the policy, which is currently being reviewed over an eight-week consultation phase.
Mr David said the administrators should not overturn a decision made by former councillors in 2005 to keep fees at a bare minimum.
“We the councillors unanimously decided that we take away the rates from all the sporting clubs to enable them to help and assist the youth of Brimbank away from the streets and into the sports of their choice,” Mr David said.
“I plea with administration not to make any changes to the original decision put forward by councillors,” he said.
Mr David said the volunteer-based clubs would not be able to afford the increased fees and that most clubs were already struggling to keep up with other fees.
He said the lower fees should be kept part of council budget and seen as an investment into the future of developing good citizens.
The council’s community wellbeing director Neil Whiteside said the recommendations as part of the draft were important steps to ensure equity across sporting clubs and to gain broader community engagement.
He said under the new policy clubs in Brimbank would still pay less than clubs in surrounding municipalities and that council would offer incentives to help reduce fees.
“It is important to note that under the current policy, clubs today pay only a minimal peppercorn fee of $160 a year that is significantly less than industry standards,” Mr Whiteside said.
Brimbank Council is holding two information sessions on Thursday 10 April and Monday 14 April at the Visy Cares Hub Sunshine to provide details of the policy changes.
Feedback on the draft policy can be submitted to the council by 21 May, prior to further consideration by council.
