WEYMOUTH and Portland Borough Council must find £200,000 to allow the Dorset Waste Partnership to balance its books.

It comes after it was revealed that the DWP budget for 2015/16 has risen from £30,499,159 to £32,456,000.

The borough council’s management committee heard that their share of the increase will be £200,000.

Chairing the meeting at North Quay on Tuesday, Cllr Mike Byatt said the committee had ‘no choice’ but to agree to the proposals.

Cllr Colin Huckle, finance and assets briefholder, said: “This is a bit of a disaster because we are faced with finding around £200,000 when we are already looking at budget savings of £500,000.”

Cllr Byatt said: "We all recognise this is critical in terms of the budget. I am not going to get involved in performance issues in terms of the recent roll out.

“I think what’s important is that we get an assurance that in 2015/16 and beyond DWP is fit for purpose and can work within the context of financial management.”

He added: “We have got a significant financial challenge and this cannot be underestimated. When we are faced with unplanned, unexpected financial pressures it’s extremely difficult for this authority to cope and it will put pressure on other service areas.

“We cannot sustain this kind of financial pressure in years to come.”

The committee was told that recycling rates in Dorset have increased since the roll out of the new waste collection system.

Some residents in Weymouth were left with rubbish piling up in the streets after issues with the introduction of the system in the town.

Cllr Ian Roebuck, briefholder for environment, told the committee that discussions are being held with the company contracted by DWP about the possibility of compensation.  

Cllr Mike Goodman raised concerns over increasing costs of the DWP in the future.

“One of the elements involved in the cost of running is fuel. Fuel costs have gone down, but what is the risk of prices going back up to where they were 12 months ago?”

The committee agreed to approve in principle to build the increased cost into the borough council’s budget setting process for 2015/16.