BEACH hut owners have accused council leaders of planning an “unfair and inequitable” increase to their fees over the next five years.

The chairs of four beach hut associations across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole have said that their alternative proposals have been largely ignored.

BCP Council has said it wants to implement a “fair” pricing structure, with Cllr Mark Anderson, portfolio holder for environment, stating the local authority had produced a “simplified” system.

As reported, the planned charging schedule will see prices for all hutters go up between 10 and 26 per cent next year, while fees will be harmonised into eight bands within five years.

Across the next five years combined the changes are forecast to see residents with beach huts pay the council an extra £10million compared to current rates.

BCP Council has also announced plans to invest more money back into the service.

However, the associations say the extra £4.4million investment funded from the beach hut income was to “mainly subside the non-essential services on the whole of the seafront”, with the remaining £5.6million of income going into the medium-term financial plan.

A joint statement from Alan Cook, of Friars Cliff Beach Hut Association, Ann Gerrard, of Bournemouth Beach Hut Association, Darren Pidwell, of Mudeford Beach Hut Association, and Bob Lister, of Poole Beach Hut Association, said: “We do not agree that the proposal being put before council cabinet on December 14 demonstrates an improvement to the beach hut community.

“We believe that this proposal is purely to increase the revenue coming in to the council by raising the prices in an unfair and inequitable manner.”

The association chairs said they put forward alternative plans which had “by and large” been ignored, with small amendments made to the proposals.

They added: “To call the new pricing structure ‘fair’ is a travesty."

Councillor Anderson said: “I am pleased to bring forward proposals which will give greater choice for residents wishing to access a beach hut in the future, whilst simplifying the service.

“As many will recognise, our beach huts have had under investment for a number of years, and these plans will unleash around £4.4million of much needed investment in our beach huts and their services.

“We talked early on with key stakeholders about how we can provide a better service and we have heard a number of views raised during the evolution of these plans. I am pleased that we can show we have listened to those and addressed many of these head on.

Bournemouth Echo:

“We know there is a substantial difference between prices across the region and want to address that so that we have a simple and fair pricing system.

"We’ve recognised that we need to introduce this system over time to reduce that immediate impact and give people the opportunity to plan ahead.”

The proposals also include opening up beach hut waiting lists across the conurbation to anyone living in the council area but maintaining the restriction stopping people from outside the three towns joining.