Heart stopper: HEARTspace petitions for user fee freeze

USERS of the Bellbrae HEARTspace are petitioning the Surf Coast Shire to freeze user fees at their existing level, arguing that the hall is “a different entity to other community halls”.

The 44-signature petition, which was received by the council on June 5, says the community hall at the former tennis courts on Anglesea Road is “self-managed, cleaned and cared for by our members with minimal day-to-day running costs for the shire”.

The petition asks the shire to maintain HEARTspace user fees at the 2019 rate of $6 per hour.

According to the shire’s 2019-20 budget, public hall hire is set at $13 per hour for shirebased community groups and $26 per hour for commercial and non-shire community groups.

The petition also asks the shire to recognise several factors:
• The achievements that have been made in creating a passionate, committed community of volunteer-run groups
• The benefits to the individuals as well as the to the community at large
• That this has been possible through the low-cost “local residents fee” negotiated and agreed to through consultation with the council in 2015
• The potential for future expansion of this community when supported by low-cost venue fees, and
• The incredible volunteer contribution that

HEARTspace participants have achieved in the facilitation and growth of this community space, and the value of this when assessing costings for the management of HEARTspace.