The Byron Shire Council has issued a ‘buyer beware’ notice about unlicensed surf schools in the shire.
Staff last week said they’d received complaints of people running unapproved surf schools.
Overseeing activities on local beaches, including the issuing of licences to businesses using the beach to make money, like surf schools, was part of the remit for council staff, they said via media release.
Acting Infrastructure Services Director Malcolm Robertson said a council licensing system was already in place, aimed at giving customers confidence operators were safe.
The system gave businesses that do the right thing a competitive advantage, Mr Robertson said, and helped limit the number of commercial businesses using the beach.
‘There’s plenty of space for recreation,’ Mr Robertson said, ‘and the fees surf schools pay for their licence are used by Council to provide public services for the whole community’.
Six licenced surf schools were listed in the Byron Shire: Byron Bay Surf School; Let’s Go Surfing; Blackdog Surfing; Style Surfing School Byron Bay; Rusty Miller Personalised Surfing Byron Bay; and Soul Surfing School.
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