Surf club rent may increase

Rent for the Umina Surf Club could increase by more than 20 times, according to a Gosford Council report.

Council resolved on January 24 that the rent for Ocean Beach Surf Club and Umina Beach Surf Club be set at $5000 per annum.

Umina Surf Club currently pays $250 per annum.

Council valuers had advised that market rent for Ocean Beach Surf Club was $200,000 for the building and $74,000 for the land, with market rent for Umina Surf Club being $160,000 for the building and $55,000 for the land.

The report to council stated that the site of the Umina Surf Club, the existing building, was subject to a lease that expired in 2017 and the current rental was $250 per annum.

A provision in the lease stated that the rent may be reviewed on May 1 next year.

It was recommended that the rental be altered for parity with other surf clubs.

Council is the trust manager of the reserve on which the Umina Surf Club is situated.

A council report stated that "when fixing subsidised rental for the surf clubs, consideration should be given to the size of the refurbished building, the location, membership of the club and capacity to pay the rent".

Council's decision to refurbish the surf clubs also included Killcare and Wamberal.

Development applications to refurbish Killcare and Wamberal were expected to be lodged this year.

A further report would then be referred to council recommending a subsidised rental following the letting of the contract for those buildings.

If there are no objections, council has stated it would offer a lease of the Ocean Beach Surf Club to Ocean Beach Surf Life Saving Club Inc.

Council subsidises the rental as a commitment to the clubs, and the difference between market rent and actual rent is recorded as a donation to the clubs.

The rent is held in a reserve account to be used for further structural repairs and rebuilding.

Council has a program to refurbish or rebuild most of the surf clubs in the area.

Following refurbishment and rebuilding, it is proposed to offer a lease of 20 years to the surf clubs.

Public notice must be given before council grants a lease for the surf clubs and, if there are objections from the public, it may take up to a year to resolve, according to the council report.

The report stated that upon the public consultation process being finalised and, if there were no sustainable objections, the lease was anticipated to run from July 1.

Council agenda COR.8, January 24