Government steps in to keep northern tip open

An amenity site serving residents in the north of the Isle of Man will continue to operate beyond March after a government department stepped in to keep it going.

The Northern Civic Amenity Site (NCAS), on Bride Road, had faced a £67,000 funding gap after Bride Commissioners withdrew from the facility last year.

The NCAS board, made up of representatives of the northern local authorities, had said the site would close from 1 April after it handed by the contract to run it.

The Department of Infrastructure (DOI) has now set to take over the administration of the site for the next year, with funding from all authorities, including Bride.

Details of how the site will run, including its opening hours, have not yet been revealed.

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 its fellow northern authorities Ballaugh, Lezayre, Garff, Andreas, Jurby, and Bride since 2017.

While the DOI is now set to take control of the tip, it said it the Ramsey authority would continue to operate it on its behalf.

Infrastructure Minister Michelle Haywood said she was "confident" the agreement would see the site continue to operate for the next 12 months following "positive talks" between the department and NCAS.

"Department officers have led negotiations to enable the cooperation of all the northern local authorities, which will continue to fund running costs," she said.

Chairman of Ramsey Commissioners Robert Cowell said it was a "fantastic result" for residents in the north.

"I am extremely grateful to the entire northern community for seeing the value of this asset in the north and continuing to fund the site," he added.

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