Vigilantes warning freedom campers away from Anzac Bay will be replaced with a council patrol next summer.

Local residents began informing freedom campers about Anzac Bay's no overnighting rule after the previous freedom camping/parking/dogs monitoring contract expired on January 24.

Council is keeping overnighters out of Anzac Bay.

The Western Bay of Plenty District Council Policy Committee has allocated an unbudgeted $25,000 to extend the service in the 2016/17 summer.

A contractor will monitor freedom camping, dogs on the beach and monitor parking from December 22 to February 7.

The 2015/16 contract was worth $8252, but the former contractor doesn't want to do it anymore.

The council's hand has been forced because of growing community discontent, and the health and safety risk of fights arising between community vigilantes and freedom campers.

Weekend coverage began at Easter 2016 – at a higher rate than that offered to the original contractor.

Compliance monitoring for Waihi Beach was not included in the 2015/16 budget, nor the 2016/17 budget.

Staff offered councilors two options – extended monitoring costing $40,000 and peak season monitoring costing $25,000.

The committee's recommendation to the full council is to take the cheaper option which offers a weekend and public holiday monitoring through to February 7.

The more expensive option included weekend coverage through to the end of daylight saving.

Staff advised councilors that some of the monitoring costs may be offset by income from fines, but advised there will be: 'high community resistance and a corresponding negative perception of Council, particularly with visitors to the region, if the current compliance approach was changed from education and warnings to a more aggressive cost recovery approach through infringements”.

Council compliance and monitoring manager Alison Curtis says the amount allows Anzac Bay and Waihi Beach to be patrolled full-time during the key period between 22 December and 7 February, when dog restrictions, and freedom camping restrictions are most important.

'We also plan to have a patrol over the key holiday weekends surrounding those dates, though this will depend on the contract.”