Council won’t say how much it collects in short-stay fees

THE biggest issue at the Bass Coast Shire Council meeting on Wednesday this week was without doubt the issue of council’s Short Stay Rental Accommodation registration fee system.

However, while one of the 21 questions put to council on the subject, during community question time, directly called on council to say how much the SSRA levy generated annually, shire officers declined to provide those details.

It was left to one of those asking the questions to suggest the amount of revenue raised.

Operator of an Airbnb style accommodation venue in the Ventnor area, Helen Reid, queried if the amount generated by the 722 venues registered, of an estimated $460,000, or the possible revenue of $1.5 million, if up to 2000 accommodation operators were registered, was used to cover the shire’s SSRA costs or simply went straight into general revenue.

The council declined to confirm how much was being raised or to address questions seeking details on council’s SSRA administration costs but in answer to another of the 21 questions, a shire officer confirmed that the income wasn’t solely used for SSRA costs.

According to the council officer, responding to a question from Inverloch real estate agent Marni Redmond, the funding is used to address administration and compliance costs of the SSRA scheme, but also to cover related costs in other shire departments including planning and tourism.

In response to other questions about the cost of operating the SSRA program, the shire officer didn’t provide those details.

At the conclusion of an extended community question time, the Mayor Cr Brett Tessari stressed that while a council officer responded to the community questions, the responses were discussed with councillors beforehand and were provided under the imprimatur of the council as a whole.

The Bass Coast Shire Council CEO Greg Box and Cr Ron Bauer declared a pecuniary interest in the short-stay fee issue and withdrew from the council chamber during question time, while the 21 questions were addressed, and while both Cr Meg Edwards’ Notice of Motion on the subject was debated.

Cr Bauer attended the meeting remotely.

Cr Edwards called for a report to be presented to Council for the December meeting, detailing the operation, financial performance, and strategic outcomes of the Short Stay Rental Accommodation (SSRA) local law registration fee system.

Cr Edwards also asked for details to be provide on the total number of complaints that resulted in a breach of local laws relating to visitor accommodation.

The Notice of Motion raised by Cr Edwards lapsed for want of a seconder, in other words, none of her colleagues on council agreed to the issue even being discussed at the council table.

More to follow.