Ratepayers subsidising coast

Ratepayers are subsidising a State Government committee managing Surf Coast Shire’s foreshore.
Great Ocean Road Coastal Committee announced this week the shire would provide GORCC with $105,000 this financial year.
Committee chief executive officer David Clarke also revealed the shire provided GORCC with recurrent funding for the first time last financial year.
The committee previously funded its operations with revenue from caravan parks and grants from higher levels of government.
The committee manages Crown land foreshore areas from Point Impossible to Lorne.
Mr Clarke said he would understand why ratepayers might have concerns about their council funding a State Government body that previously paid its own way.
However, he said GORCC had to balance the demands of rising coastal management costs with increasing pressure from users while keeping up management standards.
“Everyone expects us to do a good job of it too,” Mr Clarke said.
He revealed that GORCC had “often raised the issue” of recurrent funding with state and federal governments but still only received grants for specific projects.
“The funding model isn’t ideal,” he said.
“We’d love it if there was state and federal support for the work we do.”
Mr Clarke said GORCC was investigating other revenue options, such as commercial development on Crown land sites at Lorne and Torquay’s Fisherman’s Beach foreshore as well as higher returns from a $9 million caravan parks upgrade program.
In 2007 GORCC lost a controversial bid to install parking meters in surf beach car parks as an additional source of revenue.
“It’s pretty good value for ratepayers,” he said.
The committee spent last year’s council funding on services such as rubbish removal, lighting and car park and toilet maintenance, Mr Clarke said.
Surf Coast Mayor Libby Mears called the funding arrangement a “partnership” that “recognised the importance of coastal areas”.
“Our coast is so important to our community, so council is pleased to work in partnership with GORCC ,” she said.