Angry Poole beach hut tenants have unanimously opposed council plans to restrict leases.

A packed inaugural meeting of Poole Beach Huts Association, attended by 150 people, expressed outrage that Borough of Poole proposes to limit leases to five or 10 years.

In a bid to reduce the waiting lists – closed and standing at 364 – tenants, some of whom have used their huts for decades, will be asked to leave, rather than retain their tenancy for as long as they wished.

One tenant, who did not wish to be named, said: “The way tenants are being treated is disgraceful.

“It seems like the council is doing this on a whim because someone somewhere doesn’t like the fact that people are able use their huts on a regular basis.

“But they forget, reducing the waiting list will not gain them any more revenue, just introduce new people who may be less reliable.

“The borough is alienating the very people who form the basis of one of the authority’s most regular revenue streams,” he added.

The meeting at Merley Community Centre was attended by Cllr Judy Butt, cabinet portfolio holder for communities, public engagement and participation and Anthony Rogers, recreation manager of leisure services.

They faced the anger of tenants in a question and answer session as speaker after speaker stood up to condemn the proposals but gave an undertaking to report back to councillors on the views expressed.

The new association has already achieved one victory, with the council agreeing to six weeks public consultation from mid-March.

Cllr Butt described it as ‘true localism in action’. She said: “I am looking forward to the consultation in March and the positive workable outcomes that we will achieve together as a community.”

Chairman Bob Lister, who formed the association in November, said: “There were many points made very vocally and emotionally by our members.”

It was pointed out there were many places where new huts could be added and that short term huts could help reduce the waiting list.

• For more information about the beach huts, visit the website poolebeachhuts.co.uk or call Bob Lister on 07980 928752.