Secret deal robs surf club of parks
PALM Beach Surf Life Saving Club members are shocked and concerned about safety issues after learning a secret council-developer deal reduces spaces in a neighbouring public carpark.
In an email to members, club director Richard Forbes said signs were erected in the council carpark opposite the club in Jefferson Lane on Tuesday afternoon without advising patrons that 14 carpark spaces would be lost due to the build on the Monroe project.
An internal council review was sparked after a series of Bulletin reports about developers getting $1000 weekly
discount deals to use prime beachfront parkland. It was determined councillors would be advised of any negotiations and future leases could be as much as $20,000.
Mr Forbes said one-third of the total parking spaces available would be lost after construction began next Monday.
A lack of communication to the club, aside from the signs that appeared on Tuesday, had taken members completely by surprise, he wrote.
“The decision by council will impact us and other local businesses financially and, more importantly, poses questions around keeping our children safe and our ability to carry out our surf lifesaving
responsibilities during construction,” Mr Forbes wrote.
“From a financial perspective the loss of 14 car parks may not seem much but it equates to lost patron revenue of many hundreds of thousands of dollars. This money is vital to support the surf lifesaving component of our club.”
He said council would benefit from the carpark closure.
“We have been advised by the builder that the council will be charging $65 per day per parking bay, which over 12 months will potentially generate $331,000 in council revenue,” Mr Forbes wrote.
The club will ask council to advise how the revenue raised from the carpark charge from the development is to be used and can it enhance community assets like local parks.
Mr Forbes told the Bulletin: “The lack of consultation by the council, the builder and developer with our club over the past 12 months is disrespectful to us, but more importantly disrespectful to our members and the broader Palm Beach community.
“Being kept in the dark has ramifications from a safety perspective – the safety of children who train at our club and our ability to carry out our responsibilities in keeping our beach safe.”
Area councillor Daphne Mcdonald said she understood that in August officers spoke to the club when onsite with developers.
She said she had in recent weeks attempted to organise meetings and “certainly did not support what was happening”.
Cr Mcdonald said she was not aware of any money being exchanged between the council and the developer on the parking.
“As from my phone call to one of the officers this morning I understand that is still under negotiation,” she said.
She said some of the car parks would get $50 a day per carpark but further negotiations had to be finalised. The money should be returned to the community, she said.