Council makes unhappy campers
Photo by Mike Moores
Westbury Recreation Ground has upgraded facilities, but will not be available for free camping.
By Sharon Webb
MEANDER VALLEY councillors backed down fast on
motions for free camping in Westbury and Bracknell at their December meeting as residents accused them of treating ratepayers with contempt. Free camping at Deloraine’s Racecourse Drive survived, but councillors rejected the council’s own motions to allow free camping for RVs on Westbury Recreation Ground and Bracknell Riverside Reserve. Brad Hapner from Bracknell said, ‘Local people shouldn’t be disadvantaged. They did the work on the campground with their own hands and feel the council wants to oust them just so a few RVs can be parked there. ‘If this goes ahead councillors may find themselves not supported by the Bracknell community.’ Westbury residents living on Jones Street, adjacent to the recreation ground proposed for RVs, were furious.
Julie Summers told councillors that residents had to tolerate RVs and camper behaviour ‘from when we get up until we go to bed.’ ‘I challenge any one of you to have 15–20 campervans in your backyard for six months and not have it impact on you,’ she said. David Pitman from Westbury said he didn’t want to have to subsidise ‘the lifestyle of grey nomads, driving around in motor homes worth more than my house’. ‘I can only begin to fathom how upset and angry the residents of Jones Street must feel, who bought a home opposite a beautiful park, and who were entitled to reasonably believe that it would stay that way. Only to see council effectively turn it into a private asset – a caravan park for the use of non-ratepayers, so every morning when they look out their front windows at a dog’s breakfast of a camping ground they have the added insult of knowing that they’re paying for it!’ he said.
‘In essence the proposal involves using ratepayers’ money and assets to produce a service, which is then consumed by non-ratepayers at a price of $0. The effect is to transfer a subsidy from ratepayers to non-ratepayers.’ Westbury and Bracknell businesses who make money from goods bought by campers have lobbied councillors to keep free camping. But residents have complained about noise, public urination and excessive alcohol consumption from campers. Westbury resident Denise Swain told current councillors they had lost her vote. ‘Experience clearly shows campers often don’t do the right thing. Signage doesn’t work. I’ve reported campers drinking in public in the presence of children to the council but they appear to condone it by doing nothing,’ she said. Owners of Hagley RV Farmstay, Stephen and Annette Camino, said they established their business as a direct result of the council’s original closure of free Westbury camping, charging $10 a night per van.
‘Barely two months after opening our gate we are here facing a council intent on reestablishing free camping at the Westbury Recreation Ground in direct competition to our business less than 5km away,’ Ms Camino said. ‘How can we successfully compete with the recreation ground’s fully rate-payer subsidised facilities? Council has deliberately set us up to fail.’ Mr Camino said, ‘We last met with Meander Valley Council general manager Jonathon Harmey and (director of community and development services) Lynette While in November where we were again advised to put our concerns in writing for presentation to the councillors at their workshop on 26 November. ‘We extended an open invitation to all councillors to contact us. Not one of our elected representatives bothered to reply. Meander Valley Council slogan ‘Working Together’ – the irony.’ Bracknell residents’ objections were for a different reason. Traditionally, local families take their kids to the reserve for their first camping experience, teaching them how to swim and fish, Mr Hapner said. Having camping open to RVs only would shut out locals – without consultation, he said. Part of the problem is the incapacity of the Bracknell toilet. Ms While confirmed a limit of 10 flushes a day.
