By Molly Taylor
SPONSORSHIP signage facing outwards from Mount Gambier sporting grounds is at risk of being removed due to development and compliance breaches with Mount Gambier City Council vowing to work with clubs and organisations amend the issue.
The issue returned to the council chamber with elected members discussing its Advertising and Signage Policy, voting to review conditions after months of debate.
An audit conducted last January found 738 of 744 signs at various Mount Gambier sporting clubs breached council’s policy.
Elected members last month voted to contact all council-owned land tenants and advise they have until February 15 to inform council in writing of the expiry date of any sponsorship agreements relating to non-complying signs that exist.
If a response is not received by February 15, council will remove the offending signs.
Council also requires the removal of all non-complying signs at the end of their existing sponsorship period and in any case prior to December 1, 2021.
Councillor Steve Perryman suggested council should work with all occupants to ensure they were compliant with the policy and the conditions of signage on the land.
“We have a policy and there have been some occupants of council properties which knowingly or unknowingly transgressed conditions of the policy and what we need to do as a council is stand by our policy and make sure our staff are communicating with those occupants and making sure those transgressions are corrected,” Cr Perryman said.
“It has become evident there are a number of signs which do not comply with the policy, which we have as the landlord have responsibility, on behalf of the community, to control what happens on council land.
“My submission to council is we should retain some powers to control how much, where and what it looks like.”
Cr Perryman said each time he drove past McDonald Park there was another sign added which he considered an “eyesore”.
“If we go down the path of deeming consent, it is going to get worse, probably first at McDonald Park and then at other council lands tenanted across the city,” Cr Perryman said.
“The big sign on the back of scoreboard which faces out to Suttontown Road at Malseed Park is something I have always wondered about, how such a flagrant breach of the policy has allowed to occur for so long.
“I am not the council signage policeman and am not a dibber dobber, I am not aware that I was the councillor who raised this issue, but now it has been raised, these matters need to be addressed.”
Councillor Paul Jenner said giving tenants until December 1, 2021 to make arrangements was suitable after COVID-19 and the disruptions it caused.
“Considering everything which has just happened with COVID-19, it is more than fair because it gives them the time they have just lost,” Cr Jenner said.
“It also gives all offices time to tidy it up and clubs time to get back to council.
“I think this is a good compromise, the other thing is council have good grants for infrastructure and sporting groups and it is another arm these groups could use to get money from.”
Council will write to occupants of all council owned properties and provide a copy of its Advertising and Signage Policy A170, and where relevant, provide a list which includes a description and image of each non-complying sign located on the land tenanted by that occupant.
In addition to requiring council approval to erect advertising signage, occupants may require development approval under council’s Development Act.
Council planning staff will be available by appointment, to meet on-site with club representatives to work through matters while providing advice regarding compliance with the Development Act.
