Security firm locking beach gates

Hastings District Council has given security firm HSM a contract to lock and unlock the gates at Ocean Beach.

Local landowners asked the council, which leases the car park, to put a gate across the car park entrance because of vandalism and illegal overnight camping.

Ocean Beach is now locked to vehicle access from 8pm to 8am every day.

Hawke's Bay Today was informed the contract was worth $95,000 a year. A council spokesman said the actual amount is "significantly" lower, but would not disclose the price saying it was "commercially sensitive".

Hastings District Council marketing and communications manager Paul Evans said there was no permanent arrangement for the gates and so there was no annual figure. "We are still working through the best option to address this on an ongoing basis."

There was no public tender, council deciding on its preferred option after speaking to a range of security firms about options for the gate.

"This is an interim arrangement, as it was important that we had a robust structure in place for the busy holiday period," Mr Evans said.

The only landowner adjacent to the car park, Andy Lowe, has voiced his opposition to the gates.

In a letter to the editor published in Hawke's Bay Today he said a member of his staff had been approached by council to open and shut the gates.

Mt Lowe said the action was unwarranted and is concerned campers on his land enjoying a "traditional summer holiday camping at the beach" would now be impeded.

"It is concerning to me that the council should, in publicly announcing its decision, imply that I have agreed to it, possibly to divert any negative reaction to the news away from it," he said.

The surf club's chairman, Richard Wilson, said he was unaware of any incidents of vandalism at the beach.

The surf club operates on land owned by the council.