Shire starts licence negotiations with Surf Coast FC

SURF Coast FC has officially started negotiations with the Surf Coast Shire to keep playing at Banyul-Warri Fields and use Grant Pavilion for at least the next five years.

The soccer club are the existing tenants of the facilities in Torquay North, and according to the report presented to the council at its March 23 meeting, have confirmed their commitment of $100,000 of their members’ funds towards the Grant Pavilion upgrade project.

To have the security of tenure at the site, Surf Coast FC has asked for an initial licence of five years, with the option to extend for two years then another two years.

The council’s Property Use Agreements Policy only allows a maximum licence agreement of three years, and does not allow consideration for negotiating longer tenure or option for further terms when a tenant provides commitment of funds towards an upgrade of a facility.

However, councillors resolved unanimously to allow an exemption, and authorised acting chief executive officer Anne Howard to negotiate and execute a licence agreement with Surf Coast FC for five years with two two-year options.

Cr Rose Hodge, who moved the motion, said there had been a lot of discussion between the shire’s officers and Surf Coast FC.

“This really gives this group extra time, because a lot of these sports now, especially after COVID, really need sponsorship, and to have the security of that extra licence will help that along,”

Cr Hodge said. “They’re a great club, they have many hundreds of applicants, they have a very good female soccer group as well, so I think if we can help this group out with that longer term, it’ll be very helpful for them.

“I have no doubt they’ll be great in the coming years and you’ll see a lot of success at that club, and I’m looking forward to them representing the entire shire in all the regional soccer matches they’re in.”

Cr Paul Barker congratulated Surf Coast FC for putting $100,000 of its own funds towards the proposed upgrade of Grant Pavilion, which the shire has already allocated $50,000.

“I can just see that we as a community can achieve so much if we have those sort of contributions from organisations that are involved, and I’d encourage any other club or group to continue raising funds to achieve better outcomes for the community,” he said.