A child using any of the three pools will cost $4, up from $2.60, and the cost for a senior increases by $2 to $4.60.
The adult price for Baywave will rise 50c to $9, but child and senior prices stay the same at $5.70. A community hall user would pay 81c to $1.65, compared to $34c to $1.21 currently.
This is for one person per hour based on a 20-person group using a hall.
Bay Venues chief executive Chad Hooker told the meeting they were aware the increase would put pressure on users and user groups.
”We are aware of some concerns in the community from some groups around the increased fees. But [we] still consider it to be fair and reasonable given the benchmarking exercise that we’ve done and in light of the increased costs that we’re bearing across the business as well.”
The staff compared prices at the Tauranga facilities to those in other cities around the country. A child or senior wanting to use the Greerton pool currently paid $2.60 compared to Wellington at $3.40, Auckland at $4.30 to $5, or Hamilton at $4, according to the report to the council.
Commission chairwoman Anne Tolley said: “We all realise that this is going to be a really tough year for a lot of our community. Our line is that everyone pays their fair share.”
“So, where we can actually have the beneficiaries paying for the services that they receive to keep that current, because otherwise we’ve got to subsidise it through rates, and that’s going to be tough too,” she said.
”We’re caught either way - the costs are going up, and we do need to keep up with our charges.”
Commissioner Stephen Selwood, who pushed for the further increase in February’s meeting, said: “I in particular was keen to make sure … that we’ve got our user fees and charges right. If we don’t charge enough, we can’t provide enough.”
”The legacy of just continually holding fees and rates has cost the city dearly,” he said.
”It’s a responsibility for us to make sure that we are charging a fair and appropriate fee.”
“I do understand that there will be members of the community that are concerned about the increase in fees,” Selwood said.
”To those [people], I would say if we don’t increase the fees, then we won’t be able to provide the level of service that you as a community want. So we’re trying to get the balance right.”
Commissioner Bill Wasley brought up Hooker’s point from the previous meeting about the quality of some facilities being “lower”.
”Noting what Bay Venues had identified where the standard of facilities did not meet an appropriate level in accordance with that national benchmark.
”So along with the affordability, I think just acknowledging the work in that space that we do need to bring up the standard of some of our facilities over a period of time,” Wasley said.
The proposed fees will go out for public consultation from March 24 to April 24.
If they are adopted, the general admissions fees would be implemented on July 1, 2023, and the fees for regular user groups on January 1, 2024.
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