A call for a fresh report on Falkirk district's pest control services has been rejected, despite claims that the council is failing in its duty to control rats.
At a meeting of Falkirk Council on Thursday, Labour group leader Anne Hannah called for a report into the problem, saying she had heard several horror stories from constituents.
That included one Braes resident who had caught 49 rats over a two-week period in his garden and another who found six rats in their "pristine" garden one morning.
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Cllr Hannah said that she was concerned that large numbers of rats in certain areas made it very difficult for individuals to deal with the problem.
She said an expert had told her that rats had become more of a problem in houses during lockdown when restaurants were closed and food became harder to find.
Quoting the Pied Piper of Hamlyn, she said the local rats had not yet "killed the cats and bit the babies in their cradles" but added: "I do, however, greatly fear that there are going to be health issues as a result of the number of rats that there are."
Cllr Hannah said that she was not simply calling for the council to restore its own pest control service, but also wanted Falkirk Council to acknowledge its legal responsibilities for keeping the district free from rats and mice.
"What I'm looking for is a comprehensive report taking into account that people are feeling abandoned. They are getting very little advice on how to deal with significant pest control problems," she said.
Her Labour colleagues also had stories to share including Bo'ness councillor David Aitchison who told members about one young family who had found a rat had chewed through the teat of a baby's bottle.
Councillor Jack Redmond told the meeting that he had had several complaints from Bonnybridge residents in various areas.
One constituent had caught a rat in a kitchen drawer and after having her house sterilised and checked over was advised to keep her conservatory door closed at all times.
"Is this an acceptable situation in 2022 that pensioners in Falkirk are scared to leave their back doors open for fear of rats coming in? I don't think so," he said.
Independent councillor Robert Spears backed the Labour group but the Conservatives on Falkirk Council did not.
Leader James Kerr told the meeting that "to totally get rid of every rat in Falkirk is impossible".
They supported the SNP portfolio holder, Stacey Devine, who told the meeting that "rats and mice are common across the whole country and have been labelled pests for generations.
But she said that the council has a well established process that includes giving advice and taking action where necessary.
She said: "We know there are instances across the district where vermin have been sighted in our communities. Investigations have been carried out in respect of the rat sightings and appropriate advice has been provided and actions have been taken where appropriate."
The council's pest control service has been scrapped and reinstated in the past few years.
But Cllr Devine pointed out that when it was most recently reinstated it had proved difficult to get experienced and qualified staff.
The service was once more cut in this year's budget, providing a saving of £100,000 every year.
Cllr Devine did, however, agree that the information on the website could be better and promised to get it updated.
She also said she would work with officers to encourage more people taking part in the national 'buy with confidence' website so people knew which private firms would provide a good service.
Cllr Devine added: "To ask officers to spend time on producing yet another report on this matter, which will incur huge costs, a large amount of officer time and resource, I just think is a bit much.
"We are all aware that our council budgets are under significant strain. It is our duty to ensure that our resources are being used effectively."
