Call for rate reform to resolve northern tip issue

The site has had ongoing funding issues since Bride Commissioners withdrew support

Reform of the local rating system lies at the heart of the solution to a £67,000 shortfall for a regional tip, the chairman of a local authority has argued.

The Northern Civic Amenity Site Board had requested funds from the Department of Infrastructure after Bride Commissioners withdrew its contribution in March.

While that request was declined, the tip operators had already terminated its lease, reduced its hours and suspended its reuse shed amid the financial issues.

Chairman of Ramsey Commissioners Rob Cowell said "difficult decision" needed to be taken as the six parishes on the site's board could "not agree on a way forward".

Decisions on the future of the site are jointly made by representatives of the commissioners in Ramsey, Ballaugh, Lezayre, Garff, Andreas, Jurby, and - up until recently - Bride.

The local authorities took over operation of the site from the department in 2017.

'Difficult decisions'

Cowell said while it was "fine" that Bride wanted to "pay less", the other local authorities were not "willing to pay more to subsidise someone else".

He said the issue came down to rateable value and Bride commissioners did not "want to pay out on the rateable value" and there was "no easy way out of it".

In order to change what each authority contributed the system would have to be amended "for them to receive a lower rateable value", which "comes down to rate reform", he said.

However, Cowell said he did not "see anything on the table that resolved the issue" and "difficult decisions" would have to be made.

Bride Commissioners withdrew from the amenity site as it said it could not afford the annual running costs, having previously said that it spent 85% of its budget on waste when it was financially contributing to the site.