The region’s sporting clubs and organisations look set to benefit from a new policy by the City of Bunbury.
At its meeting on May 1, 2017, the City of Bunbury Council voted for option three in its new leases and licenses policy for sporting organisations.
Option three has been designed to apply a minimum rate across all groups as well as charging a document preparation fee.
City of Bunbury Mayor Gary Brennan said the City’s overall general income would decrease by $124,754.98 in 2018/19.
The figure factors in a loss of $84,997.66 in rental income and $39,757.32 in rates revenue.
”Part of it is that the lessees will be absolutely responsible for the maintenance of their buildings,” he said.
“The City will continue to fund capital works but not maintenance costs.”
Mr Brennan said the City would assist the region’s sporting and community organisations during the transition.
“We’re also going to suggest to the lessees that the difference in what they are paying today as opposed to what they will be paying subject to this policy getting approved could be put into a maintenance reserve fund,” he said.
“They put money into that so that when things go wrong internally they have got the cash to draw from.
“They can put it into a reserve fund so they cannot use it for day-to-day operations.
“They will have it there as a bank so when things need to be replaced they can be replaced internally.”
Along with discussion papers, surveys, and one-on-one group discussions, officers recently held a workshop with club representatives over the options being proposed.
Thirty-three clubs, out of the 43 invited, attended the meeting on the night.
Mr Brennan confirmed the majority of the organisations supported the new proposal.
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