Moray councillors have argued over the introduction of steep price increases at the region’s harbours.
Figures presented at yesterday’s economic, development and infrastructure committee showed the cost of a pontoon berth had more than doubled.
A consultation is being run by the council about the increases, but SNP Buckie councillor Gordon McDonald asked for the changes to be phased.
He said: “There’s no way I could possibly support an increase of 110%. That’s an unbelievable increase.
“There’s nowhere near anything like that anywhere else in the council. These are small boat people, not the flashy yachts with the varnish and all the rest of it. They are not that kind of people.
“I remember the charges were increased by 20% five years ago and all hell broke lose.”
Under the proposals, the minimum charge for a pontoon berth would jump to £500. At the moment, boat owners pay £238 for vessels up to five metres long, then an extra £40 per metre.
Moray councillors have already agreed that the region’s harbour’s must at least break even in the future.
Independent Heldon and Laich councillor Dennis Slater argued boat owners should expect some return for the extra charges.
He said: “The pontoons at Hopeman are crumbling and I think there could possibly be a health and safety risk. I’m sure we don’t want to go down that line.
“There is no electricity at the harbour, no running water, no security and I think these are things we must take into consideration.”
During yesterday’s meeting, councillors agreed to include different options in the consultation to avoid a perception the hike was a “done deal”.
Proposed prices for an eight-metre boat showed Moray Council would still be cheaper than Aberdeenshire, Inverness, Lossiemouth and Arbroath but more expensive than the Highlands.
Heldon and Laich councillor Allan Wright said: “I would urge members to live in the real world. The main issue is that harbours need to be moving quickly to a sustainable future.
“That may be a bitter pill for the boat users but that is a fact.”
