For the last two weeks, we have been trying to get answers from the council in relation to the rotting seaweed problem at Ventnor Haven.
Finally, after several nudges, we received the following from the ‘Comms Dept’ this afternoon.
Peter Hayward, IW Council Strategic Manager for Highways and Transportation said “We do recognise that the collection of seaweed in the haven is a problem and we are working on agreeing a contract with Cheetah Marine that will involve the firm using new technology to remove the seaweed.
Successful trials of new equipment
He went on to say, “The equipment has recently been successfully trialled by Cheetah Marine and involves a pump that when attached to a catamaran can disturb seaweed thereby avoiding it collecting in one place which is when it tends to rot.
“This is good news for the residents of and visitors to Ventnor and good news also for the Island taxpayer.
“This is because although the arrangements will increase the budget for operating Ventnor Harbour from £60,347 a year to around £72,500, the figure is less than the council has spent in previous years because of the seaweed problem.”
