Clean break from rats
Major push to rid village of worrying vermin infestation
A community clean-up event has been organised to try to rid Newmains of ongoing rat problems.
Residents in the village have been fighting for weeks to try to get help, as a rat infestation has taken over a number of streets, sparking fury.
A second public meeting was held in the Newmains NCT Centre earlier this month to try to come up with a plan for the problem.
There is now a proposed clean-up event happening on the weekend of February 22 and 23.
The council will be providing skips both days, between the hours of 9am and 4pm.
There are four proposed locations that will be getting skips South Calder Way, Firtree Road, Muirhouse Avenue and Crindledyke Crescent.
The council will also be emptying all wheelie bins presented on February 23, if left out before 8am.
In a letter from the council, they said:“I would ask that all residents take the opportunity to utilise this one-off free service to ensure that all overflowing bins and refuse within gardens is removed and that the area is returned to a satisfactory condition.”
People living in South Calder Way and Bonds Drive got in touch with the Wishaw Press last month to report ongoing problems with rats in their homes and gardens.
However, the epidemic has now spread to homes all over Newmains as the number of rats seems to have multiplied.
A public meeting was held by Councillor Cameron McManus in January to try to help contain the spread of the rodents.
Also attending was Councillor Robert McKendrick, representatives from Trust Housing, representatives from Neil Gray MP’s office and Andrew McPherson, who is head of regulatory services and waste solutions at North Lanarkshire Council.
Around 50 residents turned up at the meeting to voice their concerns about the issue.
One major concern was the change of timetable for general waste bin uplifts – from once every two weeks to every three weeks.
One resident said:“It all seems to come from the problem of overflowing bins. It doesn’t even matter what rubbish is there, these animals will eat at it.
“Even if bins are just over by an inch or two, the bin men will not take them.”
Locals have also been sharing images of damage the rodents are causing on a local Facebook page.
They have been chewing through wheelie bins and even people’s cars.
People are also finding dead rats in streets, gardens and their bins, claiming that the problem is much bigger than made out to be.
Resident Sharon Barrett said: “Right now in South Calder Way we are having to move our cars off the drive as rats are trying to get in them at every turn.
“We have been spraying peppermint, bleach, etc. I even have a light under my car at night and rats got into my neighbour’s car through wheel arches as they chewed a plastic cover.”
Neil Gray, SNP MSP for Airdrie and Shotts, said he is aware of ongoing issues and that he is receiving emails from constituents on a daily basis.
He said:“My inbox has recently seen an increase in emails from constituents across the area, not just in Newmains, although the majority are from there.
“I know from discussions with colleagues across the North Lanarkshire constituencies that they are experiencing the same issues.
“There is no doubt in my mind that the changes to bin collections, cuts to opening hours at recycling depots and charges for special uplifts have contributed greatly to these incidents.
“I understand that the council is saying there has been no significant rise in reports of pest issues but, if as reported at a recent meeting in
Newmains, the calls are not being recorded properly or taken seriously, how would they know for sure?”
A spokesperson for North Lanarkshire Council said:“The council provides a three weekly bin collection which is the maximum volume of uplift recommended by the Scottish Government, as part of its Household Waste Charter. “If residents utilise the four bin system correctly there should be sufficient bin capacity. “Further advice on recycling is always available to residents through the council’s waste minimisation officers by phoning 01698 403110.”