Isle of Wight's Ventnor seaweed removal bill tops £100k

Ventnor Harbour was built in 1994 and has suffered from the constant presence of seaweed

The cost of removing seaweed from an Isle of Wight harbour has risen to more than £100,000, the island's council has said.

Ventnor Harbour has suffered from the constant presence of seaweed carried in from the English Channel.

The costs of clearing it have increased by 18% from 2021/22.

The local authority has proposed bringing in a management company that will carry the cost of the seaweed removal in future.

Removal of the seaweed from Ventnor Harbour - built in 1994 - is necessary to maintain its depth and get rid of smells, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The authority has contracted the work to Ventnor business, Cheetah Marine, for the past few years.

The cost of the contract, which started in April and will run until the end of March 2023, has increased to £103,155 a year — a rise of £28,000 in three years.

The council's harbour committee said it did look at the possible alternative uses of seaweed in Ventnor Harbour, and other areas leased or owned by the authority, but had no budget at the time to take any of the actions forward.

As part of the contract costs in the current 2022/23 financial year, the council has given a £40,000 "contribution" to Cheetah Marine, which it said would go towards vessel refurbishment.

It has also put the contract for management of the harbour for the next five years out to tender, starting in April next year and running until the end of March 2028, at a cost of £485,775.

The contract states the potential supplier will be expected to manage all aspects of the harbour including berthing income collection, maintenance and the removal of seaweed.

The outsourcing would realise a significant annual saving, the council said.