Clubs get 'unfair' pay-as-you play dropped

Auckland Council has agreed to drop the controversial sports field charges. Photo / Getty Images

Auckland Council has agreed to drop - for now - the controversial sports field charges which were imposed only on clubs in the central part of the Super City.

This follows a joint complaint by clubs from the three main winter codes and leaders of the local boards of Albert-Eden, Maungakiekie-Tamaki, Orakei, Puketapapa, Waitemata and Waiheke.

Clubs in the city's west, south and north parks sectors pay no fees.

"It was unfair to charge only some and I'm very happy the charges are dropped," said the Orakei board's chairman, Desley Simpson, who led the deputation to Thursday's council finance and performance committee.

Councillors agreed unanimously to wipe 2015-16 field charges for mid-week and weekend use.

The pay-as-you play policy had applied to parks in the old Auckland City Council areas and, after the Super City was formed in 2010, the system kept spitting out bills.

Junior teams - 17 years and under - were exempt from charges.

"But it was costing about $8500 a year for our club's senior teams for midweek use of grounds," said Three Kings United Football Club general manager Steven Reid.

"Other centres in Auckland were not charging and we thought that charges should be across the board or not at all.

"This decision is delightfully refreshing news."

A parks management report said charges were an added financial burden on clubs running on limited budgets and reliant on the goodwill of volunteers.

However, the total $181,000 bill for the central area clubs this year was a "nominal" charge, contributing only 8 per cent of maintenance costs.

Parks, recreation and sport committee chairman Christine Fletcher moved the recommendation to request the council's governing body to waive the fees and charges until a region-wide policy is adopted in the 2016-17 financial year.

"Commonsense prevailed," she said.

"Fees are being waived until such time as work is completed on a comprehensive, coherent evidence-based policy."

Clubs, codes and other users no longer pay fees towards upkeep of fields.

However, Councillor Fletcher said that policy work might reflect a general wish to introduce some fees and charges.

"However, if we do, charges will be applied fairly across the region."

The Maunga Authority, which controls Auckland's volcanic cones, resolved on July 6 to remove, effective immediately, charges for bookings for sports on the fields of Owairaka-Mt Albert and Otahuhu-Mt Richmond.

The authority said the fields on the maunga played a critical role in the supply of playing hours in the region and they were well used, with many clubs based there.

It wanted a consistent approach across the maunga network and to remove a barrier to groups wanting to use the fields.

Central sports field hire fees
• $181,000 total annual bill.
• 8% of field maintenance cost.
• $45,000 fees paid by clubs in Orakei Local Board.
• $8500 fees paid a year by Three Kings United Football for senior teams.
• 2015-16 fees wiped.
• 2016-17 deadline to adopt region-wide charges policy.