Issue - meetings

Report of the Service Director - Public Protection is circulated

Cllr Humphries presented a report on the review of the pest control service in order to harmonise the service offered and fees charged across the Council’s area. Details of the way in which the service was provided and the charging structure inherited from the former Wiltshire district councils were presented.

Cabinet’s views were sought on four options, namely:

1. extending the current in-house provision (with charging) to the former Salisbury District Council area;

2. contracting out the entire service with the harmonisation of fees across the Council area

3. withdrawing the local authority pest control service completely and

4. operating a mix of service delivery models by contracting out service for the southern area and continue offering free rodent treatments whilst continuing the in-house service for the north, west and east areas.

An alternative fifth option was to provide a subsidy for across the Council’s area which would cost approximately £200,000 per annum.

The advantages, disadvantages and financial implications of each option were detailed in the report presented. Any charging policy would include concessions in cases of genuine hardship and would be the subject of review.

Bird feeding was considered a major contributory factor to the increase in the rat population. The Director of Public Health reported that she would be taking this up with the RSPCA and the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust to help with raising awareness of the situation.

In the discussion which ensued, it was noted that treatment of communal areas in the Council’s housing stock would be carried out by the Council’s in-house team. Registered Social Landlords operated a similar arrangement for the communal areas in their housing stock and also included concessions in cases of genuine hardship in their charging structure.

Resolved:

That Cabinet endorse option one as detailed in the report, retain the in-house service and expand this to cover the Salisbury area with the introduction of consistent fees across the Wiltshire council area with the aim to develop a cost neutral service.

Reason for Decision

By extending the in-house pest control service to cover all former district council areas will deliver a high quality harmonised service at a lower cost compared to the other service delivery options.