Northern tip to close next month amid funding gap

A tip serving residents in several northern local authority areas on the Isle of Man will close at the end of next month as the result of a funding gap.

Ramsey Commissioners said the Northern Civic Amenity Site (NCAS) would be handed back to the Department of Infrastructure on 1 April after Bride's decision to withdraw from the facility last year.

Chairman Rob Cowell said the £67,000 shortfall that had created was and "irreconcilable operational funding gap" and the closure could lead to job losses.

The Department of Infrastructure said it was "working to establish how the facility may continue to operate beyond the end of March".

In March 2024, Bride Commissioners stopped using or contributing to the facility, which led to the NCAS board terminating its lease and reducing its opening hours amid staff and cost pressures.

Ramsey Commissioners has operated the site on behalf of fellow northern authorities Ballaugh, Lezayre, Garff, Andreas, Jurby, and formerly Bride since 2017.

Cowell said Bride's withdrawal from the site had left a "significant" funding gap, which despite tireless efforts has proven impossible to resolve".

He said: "The future for the provision of an amenity site now rests with the DOI and we are hopeful a resolution with them will be found."

The board recognised the "significant impact" the loss of the site would have on northern residents, he said.

He urged residents to "plan for the closure date" and clear big items that would not fit into domestic refuse bins.

The local authority said the closure may result in redundancies and it was "committed" to looking after staff who were directly affected.

In a statement the DOI said: "While it is not possible to confirm at this stage whether the NCAS will remain in use for the forthcoming financial year, positive discussions are taking place to find a way forward which serves the north of the island."

A full update would be provided at a later date, it added.

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