RAMSEY Town Commissioners is using ratepayers' money to make repairs to a private property in the town.

Yesterday work started to remove the front gable structures on Bleak House on Mooragh Promenade which have been declared dangerous.

Ramsey Town Commissioners say as a "responsible local authority" they have been forced to carry out the repair work despite the responsibility lying with the property's owner.

Last March Ramsey Town Commissioners obtained a court order against the property owner – Pygott White Limited – requiring the repair work to be undertaken. In November the owners were prosecuted for failing to comply with this order.

Kevin Mayne, the lead member for works and development at Ramsey Town Commissioners, explained: "The property has a long history of neglect and legal argument regarding the various leasehold interests and all attempts to get the owner to attend to its dangerous condition have failed.

"Given these exceptional circumstances the Commission has had to take an unprecedented and highly regrettable course of action - namely resorting to using ratepayers' money to make the building safe and seeking to recover the costs from the owners.

"I wish to make it clear that is not the Commission's normal practice to effect repairs to private property. However as a responsible local authority the Commission has a duty to ensure public safety and it was solely against this background that the decision was taken."

Ramsey Town Commissioners are carrying out the work in default under the powers vested in local authorities by the Building Control Act 1991.

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