Tennis Victoria has warned that some clubs in Brimbank face extinction following a council proposal to increase fees, in some cases by more than 1000 per cent.
Tennis Victoria and representatives of a range of sports clubs met council administrators last week to strongly object to the council’s draft sports facility hire, licences and leases agreement policy.
Clubs will be charged fees of up to $2000 if their venues have a pavilion; they will also pay playing-surface fees.
At last week’s meeting, the clubs urged the council to offer discounts for clubs that lease venues from the council.
Tennis Victoria executive manager Ken Jacobs said many lease-holding tennis clubs would face an uncertain future if the “inequitable proposal” was given the green light.
“Tennis clubs in Brimbank … are totally reliant on volunteers to manage their clubs,” Jacobs said.
“They do not, however, have the capacity to generate the same levels of income as some other clubs with gate takings.”
Sydenham Tennis Club treasurer Stacie Simon said her fees would skyrocket from $160 to $1498.
“It’s a 1000 per cent increase for most clubs,” she said.
“It’s not fair or reasonable.”
Sunshine Baseball Club vice-president Rob Browne said the club was in danger of folding as it faced a $3800 annual bill on top of a $750 Baseball Victoria annual fee. “Our numbers will drop, we’ll close our doors as a worst case scenario,” he said.
Clubs currently pay a flat $160 annual fee, raising about $7000 a year for the council.
Brimbank community well-being director Neil Whiteside said a new “shared approach” between the council and clubs was required.
“The council spends millions of dollars on maintenance [on these facilities],” he said.
The council will consider a final draft for adoption at an upcoming meeting.
