Council buys back kiosk for $1.5 million

FIRST ON 7: Holdfast Bay Council is under fire yet again, this time for paying more than $1.5 million to buy back a local kiosk.

Residents are outraged they are footing the bill despite pleading with council to hang onto the business six years ago.

The Holdfast bay Council has now cut a deal with the current owners to buy back the Broadway Kiosk for more than $1.5 million.

They originally leased the site six years ago for just $4000 a year.

At the time, more than 2000 residents signed a petition pleading with the council not to hand over the kiosk.

But the new deal means it will receive additional rent from the current sub-lessee.

The council is hoping the buyback will be a success, but local residents groups are worried they will be footing the bill for yet another costly project.

“We don’t want to see these very expensive mistakes that are going to be reflected in our rate notices,” Lisa Crago from the Holdfast Bay Residents’ Association Alliance said.

It follows the council’s recent decision to gift land to developer Andrew Taplin for a new cinema complex and car park at Glenelg.

“Will we later on down the track be buying ourselves out of that to get our land back?” Ms Crago asked.

Meanwhile, a report by the University of South Australia has slammed the Holdfast Bay Council over its mass eviction at Brighton Caravan Park.