Campaigners fear there could be a spike in fly-tipping across a Kent district after plans to axe a commercial waste collection service were green-lit.

Thanet District Council made the decision earlier this month after officials revealed they are facing an almost £210,000 net deficit by the end of the year.

During a meeting of the authority's cabinet, senior Conservative Bob Bayford noted the service has been "trading at a loss", having been launched to "provide businesses with a fairly priced but flexible service".

But Independent councillor Ruth Bailey predicted a "rise" in illicit waste dumping, if firms are unable to find a new contractor before the scheme's May 31 end date.

“It’s a shame really, but it’s obviously a loss maker and it impacts on other services,” she told the meeting.

“Is two months’ notice a sufficient amount of time for these 300-plus businesses to find a new provider?

“Obviously the worry if it isn’t is the rise in fly-tipping.”

She also pointed out that this is mentioned in local authority documents, which say “there is a risk illegally disposed commercial waste in public litter bins, fly-tipping or household waste recycling centres could increase”.

Cllr Bayford attempted to reassure her by saying he has "every confidence there’s plenty of capacity, as there’s lots of commercial waste operatives in Thanet".

He did concede, however, that “those firms will almost certainly be charging more than we were charging”.

Council papers say it would "need to more than double existing fees to cover the actual cost of the service" and that its "perceived trading position this financial year could be a net deficit of £207,000”.

It has also been announced that businesses using the service will be charged at the rate they are already paying for the next two months.

An increase in fees was planned, but Cllr Bayford said hiking charges just before the service is cancelled “would probably only add insult to injury”.

“It is a difficult decision to take," he added.

"We know it’s a popular service for the businesses, and it looks good for the council."

A council officer stressed to cabinet members that “this doesn’t remove the opportunity in the future to revisit the [service] - it’s just not right at this particular moment with the obstacles we face”.

Speaking after the meeting, businesswoman Charlotte Silver, who owns Silvers Bar in Margate, said “it’s a shame they’ve axed it".

"I think they could have made it a bit more attractive for businesses to use,” she told KentOnline.

“From a cost perspective it’ll be an inconvenience, because it was the cheapest to use for rubbish collections.

"Now we’ll have to go to a private company - it just means we’ll have to source another provider.”