A ‘bullying and threatening’ letter from Isle of Wight Council has told small businesses to fork out more than £500 a year or have their wheelie bins removed.
The letter has been sent out to remind owners of holiday lets and B&Bs about their legal duty to pay for the collection of commercial waste.
Pay the council or commercial waste collection
Property owners are being told to choose between subscribing to a council subscription service — which for £520 a year will allow them to continue to use their domestic bins — or pay for a separate commercial waste collection.
Otherwise, they have been told their domestic bins will be taken away and their property removed from the collection round.
B&B owner: “Council going to damage tourist industry”
It has frustrated residents who say their guests produce negligible waste and their domestic wheelie bins are not even filled.
Sarah-Jane Weigall, who lets out one room at her Bembridge home, said:
“It’s just one room, one waste paper basket, no breakfast.
“It is a tourist Island, the council are going to damage the tourist industry like this.”
She has decided to stop letting out the room and has contacted accommodation Websites to remove her listing, but the council has continued to scour the Internet for evidence of her advertising her property.
She said:
“I haven’t got control over Google, it’s ridiculous. It’s been very, very aggressive from the council.
“It’s just going to encourage fly tipping.”
Beet: Bullying and threatening nature of campaign letter
Richard Beet, who occasionally lets out a former chicken shed in his garden, said:
“When we do have guests, they usually just have two small bags of rubbish.
“It wouldn’t be worth us having a commercial waste company like Biffa to come round.
“My main objection to this council exercise is the bullying and threatening nature of their campaign letter rather than the need to follow the guidelines in the legislation.
“I accept that ultimately I will probably have to come to some arrangement under the law or close.”
Subscription service a ‘ransom’
He called the £520 subscription service — which is offered to properties operating as self-catering accommodation for 139 days a year or less and B&Bs that are using under half of the property for guest accommodation — a ‘ransom.’
IWC: Ensuring businesses are not subsidised by public purse
A council spokesperson said:
“The council is working hard to ensure we treat all businesses on the Island with equity but to also ensure that businesses are not subsidised by the public purse.
“We know some holiday lets and B&B owners are not aware of their legal duty of care to responsibly manage the waste they produce and have continued to access a free household collection service under the assumption business waste can go in the household waste and recycling bins.
“Business waste cannot be set out as household waste.
“Any business operating from home or other premises must arrange for a separate collection and disposal of their business waste. This applies across the UK.”
Owners must provide evidence
If owners also live in the property they are letting out, the council has asked for evidence the commercial waste is being collected separately from the household waste.
Equally, owners are asked to provide evidence if the property is not being used as a holiday let or B&B at all.
The waste and recycling management team at the council said appeals from very small businesses would be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which OnTheWight is taking part in. Some alterations and additions may be been made by OnTheWight. Ed
© David Anderson LDR
