Call for action to tackle nuisance of gulls

Calls have been made for Fife Council to treat gulls in the same way as other pests such as rats, mice and wasps.

Councillors on the region’s environment and protective services sub-committee have admitted the local authority needs to do something about gull nuisance across the region – but only if private contractors could not meet the demand.

Complaints about gull attacks and problems such as bird droppings and nesting materials blocking drains and gutters continue to be received each year, but few options are available to local authorities apart from education and awareness campaigns.

An initiative in Inverkeithing has seen an 86% reduction in nests resulting in chicks, but that was a community-led project which saw households in the town’s Boreland estate pay £30 a year into a fund which paid for a contractor to remove nests and eggs.

Councillor David Barratt, who represents the Inverkeithing ward, praised the hard work of the community there but said he would love to see the council offer some sort of service to remove nests and eggs in problem areas.

Any such provision, he argued, could be along the lines of the council’s existing pest control service which gives advice about and treats pests such as rats, mice, wasps and bees at a cost to those requesting it.

“I would love to see the council offer a service to remove nests and eggs in the same way as we do for mice for £75 and for wasps for £72,” he said.

Kirstie Freeman, Safer Communities manager, said the idea had been looked at previously, but suggested staffing levels would not make it possible.