THE Mornington Peninsula Shire will consider a proposal to enter into new nine-year lease agreements with 17 community tennis clubs following months of unresolved issues over potential rent increases.
The proposed leases would apply to tennis clubs on council owned or managed land including Balnarring, Boneo, Crib Point, Dromana, Flinders, Hastings, Main Ridge, Mount Eliza, Mount Martha, Red Hill, Rosebud, Rye, Shoreham, Somers, Somerville, Tyabb, and Sorrento.
Councillors will vote on the proposal during its meeting on 16 December.
The move follows previous council action in July last year to introduce new leases. However, concerns from tennis clubs over consultation processes and significant rent increases led the council to pause implementation at its April meeting.
Since then, council officers have worked with the clubs to develop a revised community lease and rental model that addresses these concerns.
As reported by The News, Cr Andrea Allen, key supporter of tennis clubs and ensuring their concerns were voiced, said after new lease agreements were made at the previous council’s 23 July meeting last year, “assurances were made to councillors at that meeting that the clubs had been consulted on these new leases” (Council steps back on court in tennis lease debate, The News 29/04/25).
“However, since then, clubs have indicated that they did not receive advance notice of the proposed rent increases or have any opportunity to discuss the broader implications of the lease changes,” she said.
The clubs, run largely by volunteers, have long-standing ties to their facilities and provide affordable and inclusive tennis and recreation programs for residents of all ages and abilities.
The programs aim to promote physical activity, social connection, and community wellbeing across the shire.
Under the proposed leases, the clubs would continue to deliver high-quality recreational programs that align with the council’s objectives for resilient and connected communities.
If approved, the lease terms would include a nine-year period with a starting sporting ground rent of $300 per lit tennis court per year and $120 per unlit court per year, plus GST.
Building rent would be set at either $500 or $1000 plus GST per year depending on building replacement value, with a fixed annual increase of three per cent.
The leases would be for the purpose of operating tennis clubs and associated recreational activities.
First published in the Mornington News – 16 December 2025