ANGRY beach hut users who want Bournemouth council to refund part of their rates have taken their case to the Local Government Ombudsman.

Members of the Bournemouth Beach Hut Association are seeking an official ruling on whether the council has acted legally in its treatment of them.

It follows a change in billing procedure last year which meant beach hut users suddenly had to pay their own non-domestic rates – adding at least £124 on to the yearly cost of having a beach hut.

Previously, users had simply paid a licence fee to the council and the council then paid the rates bill, which was around £70, on their behalf.

Beach hut users presumed their council bills would reduce by £70, since the authority was no longer having to pay their rates.

But although Poole and Christchurch councils have refunded users, Bournemouth council has refused to.

Debbie Dowsett, of the Bournemouth Beach Hut Association, said: “We cannot understand why Poole and Christchurch could see the immorality of keeping our money and Bournemouth can’t.

“The cynical among us wonder if the surf reef and unsold surf pods are the underlying problem.”

The Local Government Ombudsman confirmed it had begun an investigation into the complaint.

When asked how much money it had been saved by not paying rates on behalf of beach hut tenants, the council confirmed it was currently around £50,000 better off, which was being used to meet “ongoing financial pressures”.

Cllr Anne Filer, cabinet member for economy and tourism, said they had frozen beach hut prices for the next year as a concession to users.

“There is always a fine balance between the extent to which the council subsidises services compared to charging the users of that service,” she said.

“Over time the demand for beach huts has increased and we now have a waiting list of over 800 people and we have even had to close the waiting lists.

“We received a lot of correspondence from residents unhappy about not being able to get a beach hut.

“Our decision not to reduce beach hut site rentals reflects those market forces and the council’s financial position.”