Agenda item - Beach Hut Licence and Transfer Fee

RESOLVED:

That Committee:

1. Agreed the termination of existing beach hut licences in accordance with their terms and implementation of the proposed new licence (see Appendix 1) to all beach hut owners, including the addition of the transfer fee.

2. Agreed new licence terms which will come into effect from 1 April 2024 as follows:

a) a new transfer fee (details in paragraphs 3.9 to 3.11 of this report);

b) updated termination provisions to limit the “no fault” grounds on which the

council can terminate licences in the future (paragraph 3.12 of this report);

c) provisions to allow for more effective and efficient communication with beach hut owners (paragraph 3.13 of this report).

3. Agreed that owners of any beach huts remaining on council land after 1 April 2024 without a new licence agreement in place be required to remove the beach hut and that officers may take enforcement action if necessary to ensure that any unlicenced areas are vacated.

29.1 The Chair invited Mark Fisher to introduce the report starting on page 17 of the Agenda.

29.2 Councillor Hill raised points about rent arrears, painting, and repossessing dilapidated huts.

29.3 Councillor Meadows raised points about Hove Beach Huts, electricity and water, and the transfer fee.

29.4 Councillor Stevens raised points about maximising income for the Council and thanked the Beach Hut owners for their engagement.

29.5 Councillor Cattell raised points that the money raised from Beach Huts wouldn’t be going towards Madeira Terrace, and that the seafront is cleared every day.

29.6 Councillor McGregor raised an issue about general Council funding from the Government.

29.7 Councillor Nann raised an issue about unlicensed huts.

The recommendations in the report were agreed with 1 vote against and 1 abstention.

RESOLVED:

That Committee:

1. Agreed the termination of existing beach hut licences in accordance with their terms and implementation of the proposed new licence (see Appendix 1) to all beach hut owners, including the addition of the transfer fee.

2. Agreed new licence terms which will come into effect from 1 April 2024 as follows:

a) a new transfer fee (details in paragraphs 3.9 to 3.11 of this report);

b) updated termination provisions to limit the “no fault” grounds on which the

council can terminate licences in the future (paragraph 3.12 of this report);

c) provisions to allow for more effective and efficient communication with beach hut owners (paragraph 3.13 of this report).

3. Agreed that owners of any beach huts remaining on council land after 1 April 2024 without a new licence agreement in place be required to remove the beach hut and that officers may take enforcement action if necessary to ensure that any unlicenced areas are vacated.