Calls to halt rat control fees
Councillors respond to complaints
Two Paisley councillors have called for pest control charges in Renfrewshire to be temporarily dropped until an “explosion” of rat infestations is sorted out.
Labour group chief Eddie Devine and Paisley Northwest representative Karen Kennedy have tabled a motion for a meeting today requesting the council suspends charges “associated with the control of rodents”.
Councillor Devine, who represents Paisley Southeast, says he has been inundated with complaints in recent months from people who have spotted rats around their homes in the Charleston, Lochfield, and Glenburn areas of his ward.
And he has insisted the council needs to bring the situation under control particularly around flats and terraced houses.
“I think charges need to be halted for now because of the amount of complaints I am getting about rats,” said Councillor Devine.
“There are lots of places in my ward like Glenburn, Charleston, and Lochfield that have all got big rat problems and there’s a bit of a problem around Well Street too in Councillor Kennedy’s ward.
“It’s the most complaints I’ve ever had and it’s going on and on and people are not wanting to pay because often it’s affecting a whole block of flats or row of houses.
“It’s been an issue for about a year I would say. I think there’s been cases where there’s been building work going on and that’s displacing them or it might be a case of people being at home more during lockdown.
“I’m not saying drop charges forever and I’m not blaming the council but I think we need to deal with this. People have seen them in their kitchens and I’ve seen pictures of them in the bins.”
As things stand, the council charges £ 61.20 for domestic pest cont rol which involves treatment for rats or mice, insects, or wasps nests.
Council bosses said they did not wish to comment on the request for charges to be suspended before it is discussed at the full council meeting.
The motion to be presented at the virtual meeting this morning: “Council agrees to suspend the charges for services associated with the control of rodents until such time as the current explosion in rat infestation is under control and to encourage our local residents to take up those services.”
The council will meet at 9.30am and a recording of proceedings will be available afterwards on YouTube.