Hume City Council

HUME CITY COUNCIL

POLICY

Fees and Charges for Sports Ground Usage

Policy Ref. No: CP1997/11/08

Date Adoption: 10 November 1997

Date Amended: 8 September 2003

Date of Review: -

Responsible Officer Manager Leisure Services

1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Council manages a large number of reserves with active sporting fields and is required to set fees and charges for the use of these facilities in order to offset some of the cost of provision and maintenance, and to further develop sporting facilities for the benefit of the wider community. This Policy sets rationale for determining the fees and charges for sports ground usage within the Municipality.

1.2 The rationale behind this Policy is based on the underlying principles identified in the Leisure Services Plan. Extensive community consultation was sought in the development of the Policy.

2 POLICY STATEMENT 2.1 Council seeks to promote equity to all groups within the Municipality using Council’s sporting facilities and in particular to promote and support sports development by encouraging participation by juniors, women and special interest groups. This aim is to be achieved by recouping a percentage of the costs incurred in providing and maintaining these assets.

2.2 The pricing policy for sports ground usage is based on the following four principles: 2.2.1 The identification of actual cost.

2.2.2 The grouping of like reserves and the averaging of total costs.

2.2.3 The provision of a subsidy to reflect the level of support by Council in each category.

2.2.4 The offering of discounts to encourage and support sport development targets.

D:\Docs\2018-04-10\0280213a80da0a78049ce219a019f33f.doc 3 POLICY IMPLEMENTATION 3.1 The identification of the actual cost: The following key cost items will be used in the assessment of user fees: 3.1.1 capital replacement, set at 3 percent of the insured replacement value of the building;

3.1.2 maintenance costs, including repairs, painting and equipment wear and tear; and

3.1.3 operational costs, including oval maintenance (watering and mowing).

3.2 The grouping of like reserves and the averaging of total costs: 3.2.1 To ensure a fair and equitable charging policy, “like reserves” which are used for similar purposes, or have the same general standards are to be grouped, to ensure that reserves which have different maintenance and/or operating costs, do not disadvantage one or more user groups. The total cost is to be averaged across all reserves in that group.

3.2.2 Following community consultation, four separate categories have been identified. This is due to the recognition given to those reserves used by Clubs with a greater capacity to raise income.

3.2.2.1 Category One: Where Council provides a reserve which possesses change rooms, toilets, kiosks, commercial style kitchen and social rooms for Clubs, which possess a Full or Restricted Club Liquor License and gaming machines.

3.2.2.2 Category Two: Where Council provides a reserve which possess change rooms, kiosk, kitchen and social rooms, thereby giving the user the ability to raise greater revenue through obtaining a Restricted Liquor License and/or hiring out for casual functions.

3.2.2.3 Category Three: Those reserves which have basic change room/toilet facilities, with a room that is used by the Club for its own social activities. Category 3 relates to those reserves which purely function for the benefit of the club, with limited social rooms, which therefore reduces the capacity of the club to raise revenue. Clubs within the category may also possess a Liquor License.

3.2.2.4 Category Four:

D:\Docs\2018-04-10\0280213a80da0a78049ce219a019f33f.doc This is the lowest grading of classification and relevant to grounds where there is limited or no change room facilities provided.

3.3 The provision of a subsidy to reflect the level of support by Council to each category. 3.3.1 Once the total cost is identified, this cost is usually beyond the capacity of most users to meet, and as a consequence, Councils generally subsidise the cost of operating the reserves.

3.3.2 The percentage of subsidy provided relates to the base level of fee a club should be charged. It is readily recognised that those clubs under Category 1 would have a far greater potential to raise income than users under Category 4. Consequently, Council will offer a higher level of subsidy to those Category 4 groups, than those in Category 1. Appendix 1 shows the percentage subsidy level for each reserve category.

3.4 The offering of discounts to encourage and support sport development targets 3.4.1 A series of additional discounts have been identified, which can be applied to fees charged and are reflective of individual user group needs and take into account the clubs/groups and the clubs’/groups’ ability to pay. This allows an excellent opportunity to ensure Council’s leisure goals and needs are being met, (i.e: further discounts can be applied to support and promote junior and women’s participation in sport). Appendix 1 shows the level of discounts available.

3.4.2 A further discount is available for those sporting codes that have less than twenty-five participants on the field during a morning or afternoon session.

3.4.3 This discount would be available for cricket clubs in particular, but also sporting codes which only allow for one round of competition to be played within the morning or afternoon session, or where the club has only one team.

3.5 Other 3.5.1 Shared Use 3.5.2.1 Where a reserve is shared during any given season, the costs for the season will be distributed equally across the user groups.

3.5.2 Turf Wickets 3.5.2.2 The maintenance involved in the upkeep of turf wickets is both a timely and costly exercise, far beyond the costs of any other competition sport played in the Municipality.

D:\Docs\2018-04-10\0280213a80da0a78049ce219a019f33f.doc 3.5.2.3 Within this Municipality, the Jacana Reserve, Progress Reserve and Willowbrook Reserve have turf wickets. The Clubs are to reimburse Council for a percentage of the costs associated with the maintaining of these turf wickets. In addition to their fee for use of the reserve, a fee of 20% based on the turf wicket maintenance costs will be charged. This fee is comparable to charges levied by other councils.

3.5.3 Utility Costs 3.5.3.1 To streamline the arrangements in respect to payments for utilities (i.e. power and gas) by user groups, clubs will be responsible for these accounts, with direct billing by the utility company. This is also a common practice within Local Government and one which encourages clubs to be energy conscious, thus reducing their costs in addition to environmental/conservation benefits.

3.5.3.2 To assist with energy conservation, Council Officers will assist clubs to convert existing meters to a lower tariff.

3.5.4 Security Lighting 3.5.4.1 Council will continue to offset costs associated with security and carpark lighting, by offering a flat fee reduction on energy costs. Following annual analysis of current costs of this provision, a maximum fee per reserve per annum will be deducted from the seasonal charges imposed by Council. This fee deduction is to be determined at the time of adopting the annual Council budget.

3.5.5 Incremental Fee Increases 3.5.5.1 Where a club would receive a substantial increase (over 33%) in their fees based on the new pricing policy, it is proposed that the clubs fees be increased over a period of years. Within 3 years (1999/2000), all clubs will be paying the full fee as determined by the policy.

3.5.6 A review of fees is to be undertaken every 3 years, with C.P.I. increases being applied annually to reflect increases in operational costs.

3.5.7 The rationale used to ascertain seasonal costs will also be used to determine hourly costs for casual users. In order to maintain consistency, the following category of casual fees have been determined:

3.5.7.1 An hourly rate (with pavilion) for use by Business/Commercial

D:\Docs\2018-04-10\0280213a80da0a78049ce219a019f33f.doc interests. (i.e. Business Social Club functions, Social Sport competitions).

3.5.7.2 50% of hourly rate (with pavilion) for use by local community groups (Christmas parties).

3.5.7.3 If access to a pavilion is not required or is not able to be provided, a further 50% reduction will apply.

3.5.7.4 The hourly rate will be determined and reviewed annually in conjunction with the annual Council budget and will include annual C.P.I. increases.

3.5.8 Access to playing fields for the purpose of school sports, will remain free of charge. Schools do not generally have need to access pavilions, however, should a school require a pavilion, the casual fee for local community groups would apply.

4 RELATED DOCUMENTS 4.1 Leisure Services Plan

D:\Docs\2018-04-10\0280213a80da0a78049ce219a019f33f.doc APPENDIX 1

GROUP SUBSIDIES AND DISCOUNTS

Council Subsidy Discount on Council Subsidy Reserve Category One: 75 % Senior Group Fee Nil Junior Group Fee 50 % Snr/Jnr Group Fee 25% Women’s Group 25% Dog Clubs 25%

Reserve Category Two: 80% Senior Group Fee Nil Junior Group Fee 50 % Snr/Jnr Group Fee 25% Women’s Group 25% Dog Clubs 25%

Reserve Category 85% Three: Senior Group Fee Nil Junior Group Fee 50 % Snr/Jnr Group Fee 25% Women’s Group 25% Dog Clubs 25%

Reserve Category 90% Four: Senior Group Fee Nil Junior Group Fee 50 % Snr/Jnr Group Fee 25% Women’s Group 25% Dog Clubs 25%

D:\Docs\2018-04-10\0280213a80da0a78049ce219a019f33f.doc