Yarra City Council will no longer absorb bank fees and chargers for their street parking and direct debit charges at leisure centres. From 1 July 2025, Council will adopt a user-pays model for these fees, which up until now have been absorbed by Yarra's ratepayers.
Yarra City Council Mayor, Cr Stephen Jolly, said that by charging the user for these fees, Council will save almost $1 million a year - funds that can be used to improve the City.
"This is a fairer system where the user of our leisure facilities or parking services pays the fees for their use of the facility or service - and something that just about every business already does," said Cr Jolly.
Cr Jolly added that passing on bank and merchant fees was a small but necessary adjustment to protect the City's ability to continue to provide necessary works and services.
For parking, a service fee will apply every time you use the PayStay app or when using a parking meter, the service fee incorporates both bank and merchant charges.
Leisure Centre customers using direct debit who use their credit card will pay 1.43 per cent surcharge, per transaction. Those who choose to pay a direct debit from their bank account will pay a 35-cent fee, per transaction.
