Discontent brewing at beach camp

Misgivings about the management style of the new boss of a Taranaki beach camp has resulted in public protest and residents leaving.

On Saturday, a group of protesters gathered outside the Marine Park Motor Camp in Waitara, which is run by Roger and Trish Jenkins.

In March, the couple took over the lease from Dawn Chard, who was there for 27 years.

Part of the north Taranaki landscape since the 1920s, the motor camp is located about 200 metres from the Waitara west beachfront and some residents have called it home for 20 years.

Things appear to have soured of late, with allegations that Roger Jenkins’ management of the site has put him offside with some people in the coastal community.

Waitara woman Janet Ngaia, who does not live at the camp, helped to organise Saturday’s protest, which was held under a banner of ‘‘cease his lease’’.

She described Jenkins’ conduct as the camp leaseholder as ‘‘unacceptable’’.

‘‘A lot of them have left,’’ she said of the camp’s residents.

Ngaia said further protests, and other action, was planned in the near future.

The motor camp is one of six seaside holiday parks managed by the New Plymouth District Council (NPDC). Officials met with Jenkins yesterday. He was also approached directly for comment on Monday but declined to talk.

The NPDC said in an emailed response to questions that they were aware of two issues that had been raised in relation to the holiday park in Waitara.

‘‘We are working with the business owner to resolve them,’’ chief financial officer Alan Bird said.

Attempts have been made to talk to people still living at the camp, or who had recently left, but those approached did not want to comment.

Along with public action, some had taken to social media to air their views about the motor camp. There were a series of negative comments about the management at the park, under the review section of the motor camp’s Facebook page. The page, which was live yesterday morning, had since been removed.

Waitara community board member Jonathan Marshall said he was aware of the concerns which had been raised regarding the management of the motor camp.

‘‘I’m disturbed by what I’ve heard,’’ he said.

He said the motor camp had historically been an asset in Waitara.

‘‘Marine Park has been ticking over for a number of years and doing really well,’’ Marshall said.

Sergeant Bruce Irvine said police had been called twice to the site this month.