Eurobodalla Council this week adopted to increase rates, water, sewer and ancillary fees by 1.7% whilst also adopting to increase fees and charges that covers everything from running laps on a footy oval to stall fees at the local markets.
While neighbouring Bega Valley Shire Council has agreed to waive charges under its Use of Public Land policy in respect of activities by not-for-profit organisations Eurobodalla Council has increased the fees payable by Voluntary Service Clubs and Voluntary Rescue/Emergency Services as well as all other not-for-profit groups who conduct markets on Council reserves.
The newly adopted fees will see Voluntary Service Clubs such as Rotary and Lions and Voluntary Rescue/Emergency Services such as Tuross Marine Rescue paying $107.00 per market day.
More dramatic is the fee being charged of the Moruya Country Markets who now face a $20 per unpowered site fee ($25 if powered).
Moruya Country Markets are a not-for-profit organisation who have given over $250,000 to local projects in recent years.
Ironically the Moruya Markets, which are marketed by Council as a major tourism attractant, is required to pay full fees whilst the SAGE markets have been granted a dispensation of 40% until 31 December 2022 "in order to support the markets’ operational costs".
Apart from providing employment for over 100 small business's that attend on a weekly basis, and being a major drawcard to the town on Saturday mornings readers might be interested to learn that any profits that are made by the Moruya Country Markets are donated back into our local community.
To an outsider there is little, if any, difference between SAGE and the Moruya Country Markets except that the Saturday Markets are a primary drawcard to the Moruya economy with visitation far in excess of the weekly 3 hour farmers market at one eight the size.
The waiving the fees by the Bega Valley Council the move was preceded by an address to council from Chair of the Bega Valley Business Forum Nigel Ayling who said he was speaking for changes to the policy on behalf of all the local business chambers.
Mr Ayling said "A number of the chambers had been charged Use of Public Land fees of more than $700 to use council property for markets and other community events but the events were run by volunteers and for the benefit of the community and the organisations did not stand to make any profit from these events.”
Under the current policy the CEO, Anthony McMahon had the ability to waive these fees but had declined to, citing budgetary restraints but Mr Ayling said that waiving a fee didn’t require any funds in the budget.
He then went on to speak for the proposed changes to the policy which would see not-for-profit organisations exempt from paying the Use of Public Land in the future. Council resolved to approve the changes to the policy.
“We do feel that the exemptions should have been granted to not-for-profits under the existing policy, but in the end we are pleased to see the changes to the policy,” Mr Ayling said. The policy would not be implemented retrospectively so the fees charged to the chambers in the past would not be returned.
Meanwhile in Eurobodalla Council is increasing the fees it charges to volunteer run markets.
To add insult the Council has also increased its Community Garden – Annual Fee to $545.00.
