'Small fee' for freedom campers?

The Dunedin City Council is investigating charging freedom campers for using council-owned facilities.

Parks and recreation group manager Richard Saunders confirmed at yesterday's annual plan deliberations that staff were investigating charging a "donation or a small fee'' for council freedom camping sites.

The decision to look at having charges came after the idea was raised by submitters on the annual plan.

Mr Saunders said staff had previously steered away from such moves because having charges did not fit with the freedom camping concept.

It would report back on the option as part of a wider report on freedom camping next month.

The discussion came after submitters during last week's annual plan hearings said they were happy with the council's freedom camping policy, but that council facilities were being stretched by demand, especially in the summer months.