War to be waged on parmo loving rats
ACTION NEEDED TO TACKLE VERMIN
AN environment chief has revealed parmo munching vermin will likely face a new foe this summer. Recruitment is under way for Middlesbrough Council to host its own in-house pest control team after pleas from a council scrutiny panel and across the political spectrum in the town.
Concern about call out fees for residents and other neighbouring authorities offering services triggered pleas for Middlesbrough’s service to return last year. This was coupled with a rise in rodent problems during the pandemic which have re-emerged this summer.
Cllr Zafar Uddin often deals with rat complaints due to a high density of food outlets in his town centre ward.
The Labour member asked when the pest control team would be up and running at Thursday’s culture and communities scrutiny panel.
Environment director Geoff Field said they hoped to get the squad up and running in the summer – with its back office “set off” and attempts to recruit staff underway. But he warned recruitment was proving incredibly difficult at the moment across all councils.
Mr Field added: “We’ll have to think about what the market is doing in terms of staff. If we can’t get them, then we’re going to have to think about a different way of doing it.”
Firm Rentokil reported last month how there’d been a national surge in rat sightings in the past year.
Milder winters and the effects of the pandemic when it came to rodents seeking food sources elsewhere were blamed for increased cases last year.
A Labour amendment to this year’s budget saw £90,000 set aside for a pest control service. It came after independent members and councillors across the chamber backed bringing back a service following a scrutiny committee probe.
Past panels were told Middlesbrough’s own service would need to carry out 2,000 visits every year to be financially viable – and the cost of hiring two extra staff, two new vehicles, and supplies to cope with this number, would still outstrip income.
However, at the time MICA Cllr Mick Saunders argued some services needed to be run at a loss if wider problems were to be dealt with in Middlesbrough.
Trimdon councillor Carolyn Dodds really hoped people filled the pest control roles – and believed the public needed to do their bit to deal with “terrible” rat troubles. She added: “It’s the people leaving the food out and making these alleys untidy and messy.
“They need educating but that will take a long time. As a council, we really need to step up and help these people.”
Mr Field told the committee the council was taking action – explaining how it baited back alleys. He added: “The best way to get rid of rats is to not leave food out.
“People just need to think about that. If you have a nice bit of parmo sitting on the floor and our bait box sat next to it, I can tell you where the rats are going to go – they ain’t going to go to the bait box, they’ll chew on the parmo.
“It’s an exaggerated point I’m making – and if we can make traps attractive for rats then we will. The pandemic did have an effect.
“With all the takeaways and a lot of restaurants closed during lockdown – and I know this sounds funny as if rats are going out for dinner on an evening – they couldn’t trust going to them, so they went looking elsewhere for food.”
Meanwhile, Cllr Julia Rostron asked how often Northumbrian Water baited sewers given that was where rats often bred. She added: “I know they used to be baited regularly when the council had responsibility – I do think there is some responsibility with the water companies for that.”
Mr Field suggested the firm could be invited along to be asked as he was interested in the answer.
In the past, Northumbrian Water said it was responsible for rodent issues in public sewers but drains within the boundaries of homes or businesses were the responsibility of owners.
I know this sounds funny as if rats are going out for dinner on an
evening
Geoff Field