Council to tackle rat ‘boom’ in popular park
EXTRA action is to be taken to tackle a ‘population boom’ of rats in a popular Royton park.
Royton South councillor Steven Bashforth raised the issue of rising levels of vermin at Royton Park a meeting of the full council on Thursday.
Oldham’s mayor Javid Iqbal told the meeting the issue was becoming more widespread - and that rats had been spotted at other parks in the borough.
The council has agreed to get officers to take more action.
Coun Bashforth said: “We’ve been experiencing what seems to be a population boom of rats in the Shaw Road, Royton park area.
“We have had them before and myself and my ward colleagues have paid for treatment there but we don’t seem to be able to get on top of it and I know they are spreading out, as we too know in our back garden recently.
“So I wonder if the cabinet member could assure that we have extra basing or whatever we need to control this situation could be done. It’s a very popular park with young people.”
Coun Iqbal added: “If I could just reassure you Councillor Bashforth that it’s not just Royton Park, Werneth and Alexandra park we’ve had numerous issues of vermin there as well.”
Cabinet member for neighbourhood services, Coun Arooj Shah said: “I can appreciate your concerns and I can confirm that officers are going to take extra action in the park in response to the sightings.”