FIRE
AND PUBLIC SAFETY SELECT COMMITTEE – 19 JANUARY 2004
CONTROLLING
RATS
REPORT
OF THE Head of Consumer Protection
REASON FOR SELECT COMMITTEE
CONSIDERATION
The Fire and Public Safety
Select Committee has requested information about rat control and the level of
rat infestation on the Island.
ACTION
REQUIRED BY THE SELECT COMMITTEE
1. To comment on whether or not the existing approved contractor scheme should be supported.
2. To
give an indication as to whether or not subsidy arrangements for householders
on means tested benefit requiring rat control treatments are reasonable.
3. To
note the importance to public health of rat control and the role that all
residents of the Island have in minimising growth of the rat population.
4. Some
other course of action as deemed appropriate.
BACKGROUND
Nationally rats appear to be on
the increase by 5% annually according to the most recent National Rodent
Survey. Television programmes such as
‘Life of Grime’ have highlighted the need for rodents to be treated and
undoubtedly have had an effect on the number of rat sightings being reported to
Local Authorities. Nationally, the
dropping of fast food litter has been given as one key reason for the increase;
other possible reasons include new development, excessive feeding of ‘wild
birds and the extent to which sewers are baited by water companies.
The Isle of Wight Council has
operated an approved pest control contractor scheme since October 1999. The Council appoint approved contractors
(currently four) each of whom have undergone an assessment to ensure that they
are suitably qualified and experienced. Any householder requiring pest control
services is referred by the Council to these contractors and the contractor
will then carryout treatment in accordance with a set of parameters, which
include maximum charges. Parameters and
current charges are given in appendix
1.
When this scheme was introduced it
resulted in an annual saving of over £50,000.
The current cost of pest control services to the Council is
approximately £18,500.
Officers believe that the scheme has
proved effective in providing value for money pest control services across the
Island for domestic premises.
The numbers
of rat infestations which have been treated over the past few years in domestic
premises has been detailed in the following chart. The winter/spring months from November to April
are when most treatments are undertaken when the rats’ natural source of food
is harder to forage and they tend to seek food from domestic sources.
|
Oct99 – Mar00 |
Apr00 – Mar01 |
Apr01 – Mar02 |
Apr02 – Mar03 |
Apr03 – Oct03 |
|
368 |
666 |
479 |
523 |
202 |
Appendix 1 shows that
the current maximum charge for rats being treated in a domestic property is
generally £36 but only £5 for those in receipt of a means tested benefit (the Council
subsidises the remaining charge in these cases).
Many commercial properties have
contracts with pest control contractors who inspect throughout the year and
ensure rat infestations are controlled. Environmental Health staff inspecting
food premises also ensure that adequate procedures are in place to control
pests such as rats.
By the nature of its geography the
Island does not suffer from migrating rats which therefore allows for the
infestations to be controlled more effectively.
The Island has
benefited from the support of Southern Water who, unlike some other water
companies employ operatives to undertake pro-active sewer baiting. The sewer baiting programme was devised from
historical information collected by Environmental Health and Southern
Water. It is felt by officers that
sewer baiting has always had an impact on rat infestations on the Island and
should therefore continue.
During last two years
of sewer baiting improved records have been kept. These records indicate that baiting has often been undertaken
during period of high water levels, resulting in some bait being washed
away. The records also confirm that
bait in other locations remained untouched suggesting that there was no longer
a rat problem in that length of sewer.
Therefore, using this information Environmental Health and Southern
Water are devising a new programme to ensure that the sewers are baited during
periods when water levels are lower and only in sewers where the latest
information indicates it is required.
Our joint aim is to ensure that only infested sewers are treated.
It was initially feared in 1999 that
when householders were required to pay for rat treatment there would be a
reduction in the number of treatments which would lead to added pressure on the
department’s enforcement officers.
Enforcement action can be taken under The Prevention
of Damage by Pests Act 1949 on any land owner to require that rat
infestations are suitably treated. A
notice would be issued detailing the work required. Failure to undertake the work could result in the matter being
subsequently dealt with in the Magistrates Court. Those fears have not been realised. There has been no significant increase in the need for
enforcement action.
The Chartered Institute of
Environmental Health has recently published “Local Authority Pest
Management”. The document is attached
as Appendix 2.
RELEVANT PLANS, POLICIES, STRATEGIES
AND PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
The principal of controlling rats is a legal duty that falls to the Council
but also clearly consistent with one of the six corporate objectives:-
“Improving health,
housing and the quality of life for all”.
Our key indicator is
the number of rat infestations treated each year in domestic premises.
CONSULTATION PROCESS
The Council’s approved pest control contractors and Southern
Water are aware the Select Committee is scrutinising “rat control”. They have been invited to send
representatives to the meeting.
FINANCIAL, LEGAL,
CRIME AND DISORDER IMPLICATIONS
It should be noted
that there is no statutory requirement for Local Authorities to provide a Pest
Control Service.
The Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949 requires that the
Council takes steps to secure, as far as is practicable, that their land and
other land within their district is kept free of rats and mice. Inspections must be carried out from time to
time to ensure that the district is kept free of rats and mice.
The Public
Health Act 1936 requires that the Council must cleanse and disinfect filthy or
verminous premises within its district.
APPENDICIES ATTACHED
Parameters and costs – Appendix 1
BACKGROUND PAPERS USED IN THE
PREPARATION OF THIS REPORT
Statistics provided by the Approved Pest Control Contractors
and Southern Water.
Contact Point: Kevin
Winchcombe, Environmental Health Technician, F 823155
Email
[email protected]
ROB
OWEN
Head
of Consumer Protection