A council is considering tax on overnight stays and turning beach huts into holiday lets, as it looks to mitigate the effects of tourism.
Thanet District Council, which oversees popular seaside towns Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate, has put together a working party aimed at addressing the impacts of visitors on local communities.
A report has identified the biggest issues as public toilets, waste, beaches, traffic and financial management.
For the latter, the report states: “We want a booming visitor economy but we are acutely aware of the additional costs visitors bring, so we need to make every effort to secure income for the council to set against those costs.
“For example, levying additional council tax on second homes, levying a modest tourism tax on overnight stays, ensuring holiday lets contribute to funding the costs they impose and taking a robust approach with Southern Water over beach pollution and exploring opportunities to provide paid-for facilities like beach huts with facilities for overnight stays.
The proposed changes were discussed at an overview and scrutiny meeting on Wednesday, April 17.
Conservative district councillor John Davis welcomed the idea of taxing second homes and Airbnbs.
He said: “It’s an important initiative.
“I would like to welcome costs on Airbnbs and the like, because in Ramsgate we have 866 homes for short term let and 21 flats.
“This is absolutely obscene.
“It’s why we have people being sent a hundred miles away for temporary accommodation and why we can’t cope with the number of people on the housing list.
“It’s a really serious issue.
“In my own square there are three properties which are void half the time with loads of money being charged for long weekends.
“This is not fair in this community.
“Until people can earn a proper living on this island we need to do something about these scavengers and locusts, because that’s what they are for our economy.”
Regarding beach management, new signage is proposed along with increased CCTV and enforcement to combat antisocial behaviour.
The council is already planning a major renovation project on their toilets, but the possibility of working with pubs and bars to provide facilities has also been put forward.
Waste management could be improved with more bins and two-minute litter pick stations at all main beaches, encouraging the public to chip in.
Traffic wise, the plan is for a joint response with KCC, aimed at identifying problem spots and considering what traffic control measures may be appropriate.
Councillors present at the overview and scrutiny committee all adopted the recommendations in the report, which will now be put forward to cabinet for consideration.
