A SHAKE UP of guesthouse lease policy would give tenants a 'greater sense of ownership', it has been claimed.

Concerns from hoteliers over a new policy on guesthouse leases have been noted by councillors.

A meeting of Weymouth and Portland Borough Council's policy development committee on Monday discussed the responses of hoteliers to a policy first put forward to the committee in June 2015.

Councillors unanimously agreed to note the concerns and comments put forward by hoteliers and further agreed that the policy be passed on to the council's management committee.

The draft policy, if adopted, would see the borough council offer leases on the basis that tenants are responsible for carrying out repairs and insuring their premises.

The policy would also try to ensure where possible that only one type of lease is granted - a 60 year lease at rental market value.

This differs from the current situation, in which different leaseholds provide different lengths and varying levels of responsibility for repairs.

Concerns have been raised by the Weymouth Hoteliers, Guesthouses and Leaseholders Association (WHGLA) that the shorter-term leases on offer could minimise financial opportunity.

Speaking to the Echo earlier this week, WHGLA chairman Alison Weller said: "It's a very difficult time. A lot of tenants are very anxious about this."

She added: "If, with this policy, running a guesthouse is unsustainable, then what is the point?"

WPBC's head of assets and infrastructure David Brown, presenting the report, said: "What we are suggesting is that the responses are noted and in light of these, we need to report to management committee to get their views on this framework.

"We want a cost-effective asset for the authority.

"Clearly we want to support the economy and tourism as well as the promotion of the town."

Cllr James Farquharson asked Mr Brown whether any consideration had been given to "correlation between type of lease and standard that is attained".

Mr Brown said: "I think the business they achieve varies considerably and does not seem to bear any correlation."

The two briefholders jointly responsible for the policy, Cllr Jeff Cant and Cllr Jason Osborne, also attended the meeting.

Some hotels are let on leases as short as 10 years, and so the proposed new policy has been described as a 'middle ground', giving hoteliers a 'greater sense of ownership.'

Cllr Osborne, hotel owner and briefholder for tourism, said: "There are a lot of pluses from this change.

"By offering a 60 year lease, it allows [hoteliers] to have something of value.

"It also means they have got a greater sense of ownership.

"I think it is a really good deal as far as the hoteliers are concerned."