Strife over the renewal of the Omanu Surf Lifesaving Club's new lease may result in Tauranga City Council changing the funding approach to all the western bay surf lifesaving clubs.

At a meeting yesterday, the council was set to approve a new 30 year lease for the club's occupation of reserve land at the end of Surf Road, but faced opposition from neighbours, concerned the council is overstepping its legal bounds.

Neighbour Denis McMahon is objecting over the use of the club's bunkroom as paid accomodation – which is against the terms of the expires lease, but approved in the 30 year, $1000 a year lease under discussion.

If it goes through unchanged, he will take the council to court, Denis says in his submission.

The McMahons like living next to the surf club, the activity, the people. They don't like the disturbance created by groups of non-surf lifesaving people staying there.

The club is hiring out its accomodation to ”keep the lights on”. Denis says he would far rather pay a levy on his rates as they do in the Waikato.

He was supported by the club members at the meeting, including environmental lawyer Kate Barry-Piceno, who says the growing population along the coast means the council should be considering the surf clubs as essential infrastructure.

Kate says the Waikato levy is $3.72. Denis offered to pay in advance.

The Omanu Club is the second largest in the country.

The discussion covered membership numbers, and how many life guards were generated by a large membership base for the summer surf lifesaving beach patrols.

It also ranged over the patrolling methods being adopted, satellite bases and the accepted reality that there will at some stage be a new surf life saving club east of Papamoa.

Mayor Greg Brownless halted discussion after about an hour, saying councillors will consider the information arising from the discussion and make a decision at the next meeting.