Council pest control could fall under axe

Vermin like rats and mice, and insect infestations including fleas, bed bugs, wasps and beetles are currently tackled by the council’s pest-fighting team.

Homeowners and companies can call for help day or night if they have an urgent pest problem. But the service might not exist for much longer.

At a cabinet meeting earlier this month councillors decided to go ahead with a consultation with staff on proposals to axe the service.

Included in the consultation is a proposal that the out-of-hours service is also dropped, due to a drop in call-outs over the last year.

Bassetlaw Council is not required by law to provide a pest control service. And it would save the authority £30,000 a year if it was removed from its list of responsibilities.

Part of this saving would come from the loss of two pest control officers who are now undergoing consultation on redundancy through their union.

A report presented to Bassetlaw Council’s cabinet committee suggested that there were already companies operating locally which charged less than the council currently does for pest control services.

But pensioners and some people on benefits get a half price discount when the council carries out its own services.

The final decision on whether to remove pest control will be made at the next cabinet meeting in April.