Local clubs slugged for ‘accidental’ invoice
By Sonia Isaacs
LOCAL community-run recreation facilities were shocked to receive an unexpected Sunshine Coast Council invoice asking for hundreds of dollars in additional property service lease fee payments.
An unknown number of not-for-profit community and sporting organisations received the bill which was duly actioned for payment by some organisations. However after questions from GC&M News it was revealed the invoices were issued in error by council.
Representatives from Hinterland recreational club management committees said they were “completely shocked and unprepared” to receive the extra bill, which was issued at the beginning of last month. For the Maleny District and Sports Recreation Club (MDSRC), the $908 bill was confusing, given there was no prior warning and it was a 242 per cent increase in their previous annual lease fee.
MDSRC president Greg Williams said the notice arrived on the same day as the club’s annual rental notice. “There was very little information or explanation, and then almost straight away we were issued a debtor’s statement,” Mr Williams, pictured, said. “It caused us a lot of angst. We were all completely shocked and left uncertain as to what this bill related to.”
“We believed it was tied to a new Council policy to charge us, as lessees, an amount contributing to long-term repairs of the council-owned buildings we use to run our community organisations and were understandably upset by the massive increase.”
Mr Williams added that committee members had reached out to the Council on 1 August but, up until last week, had received no response. Vice President of Witta Recreational Club, Lynda Burgess, said she was also aware that Witta Rec Club had been issued an unanticipated lease fee, which the committee was querying.
Ms Burgess agreed the charge was unexpected, but understood the club committee had reached out to council to resolve the payment discrepancies. Following enquiries by GC&M News, MDSRC have now been advised that the Council invoice for $908 was issued in error.
A council spokesperson said the new invoice “is only relevant to community organisations that have transitioned under the 2021 Community Groups Occupying Council Owned or Council Controlled Land and/or Infrastructure policy”.
Mr Williams said it was a good outcome, but wondered how many other clubs had been sent similar documentation and whether they were receiving a similar retraction notice.“I still am concerned for many other organisations, particular smaller ones who may have received a similar invoice and have already paid it,” he said.
