Arrangements changing at council-run caravan site to free up plots
Richard Youle – Local democracy reporter
People who live at a council run caravan park won’t be able to transfer their plot to a family member under new rules being proposed by the local authority.
Mumbles Hill Caravan Park in Swansea has a large waiting list and it emerged that someone who was 42nd in line was allocated a plot when the occupier gave it up.
This was because the person was one of three names on the licence for the relinquished plot as well as being on the general waiting list.
As things stand occupiers can put three names down on their licence, meaning plots often stay within families.
List
The plan is to change this so that whenever someone living at the site gives up their plot it goes to the next person on the waiting list.
Missing licence payments are also to be monitored regularly after in-house auditors found that just under £14,600 was owed, according to a council governance and audit committee report, by previous licence holders. Upfront payments or direct debits, plus a return to paper rather than online licences, are also set to be introduced.
All the auditors’ recommendations are due to be implemented by the end of March next year.
Changes
A council officer told the committee: “There are going to be some dramatic changes over the course of next three or four months in respect of that.”
Committee members heard there was a long waiting list for Mumbles Hill Caravan Park, off Thistleboon Drive, and that it shut in January and February every year. Licensees bring their caravans there rather than the council providing them. It has just over 60 plots.
Committee chairwoman Paula O’Connor, who isn’t a councillor, said: “I’m really pleased to see all the actions that are being taken, and (that) we won’t be in the same position in April of next year.”
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Do they pay council tax?
I’m not usually for privatisation but this is ridiculous. Why is a local authority running a caravan park? Sell the thing.
If it makes a profit to help fund public services what’s the problem?
I just think that a caravan park is something that the private sector would run better and the Local Authority could concentrate on things that only Council’s can do. In Cardiff, the council runs a horse riding centre, an arboretum yet it can’t fix pot holes and collect bins on time.
Let’s say they take your advice and sell.
The modest revenue can be used to pay senior management a bonus in recognition of their fiscal genius in selling a profitable venture.
Then next year there are no profits from this venture so ctax has to go up to fill the gap or the pothole budget gets cut.
Then the new owner, looking for ways to increase profitability, kicks everyone out and signs a lucrative ten year deal with Birmingham council to use the site for a groundbreaking scheme offering breaks to their residents recovering from substance abuse.
I’m all in favour of the council running it if they are going to shake things up and make sure that whoever is on the list gets their fair chances of getting a licence rather than it being passed through families as if it was owned.
A private company wouldn’t care about fairness as long as money was still coming in. The council running it means that one of the plum spaces around the area is available not just to a select few. .
I’m sorry but once everything is privatised then us commoners won’t get a look-in.
Councils were formed for making sure public services were provided for their residents not for running a commercial business are all the overheads salaries or time councillors involved managing this business . Newport City council who will not provide a proper public service for all their residents they are the sole owner of Newport Bus buses are provided from the public purse Yet They have made the Bus Company a commercial operation . And have marketing director and staff to run commercial trips into the west of England from Newport They also give free transport to football and Rugby matches… Read more »
Are you suggesting Newport Bus should not run the profitable services and charters so ctax has to go up to subsidise the unprofitable routes?