Six areas of North Lanarkshire have been identified as “hotspots” for reports of vermin sighting and will now have action taken over the next six months.
Kirkwood and Kirkshaws in Coatbridge, Craigneuk in Wishaw plus the Crindledyke and West Crindledyke areas, and Carfin/Newarthill, Holytown and Moodiesburn are all to have surveys carried out, followed by treatments for any rat sightings and “proactive actions to address any underlying cause”.
Councillors on the local authority’s environment committee were updated on the plans at their virtual meeting on Wednesday – and also learned that there have been 1007 reports of rat sightings to the council since April, compared to 1955 for the duration of 2020-21.
Members were told how plotting sighting reports geographically allows “proactive baiting to address a rising concern in any part of the council area”, with a report adding: “Since the latest review of hotspot activity data, we are now able to commission in-depth reports in six areas where the scale of the problem is greatest.
“The purpose will be to inspect the designated areas in detail, identify any immediate and ongoing pro-active baiting and most importantly the cause of the problem.”
It outlined “environmental contributory factors” to be considered, including “waste accumulations; business waste issues; overgrown vegetation; property disrepair providing access to food sources – and resident behavioural factors including inappropriate storage of refuse, misuse of bin services [and] unintentional feeding.
“The surveys will also include assessments of the condition of sewers and whether Scottish Water have baited the systems recently.
“Reports will, where possible, provide solutions [and] appropriate work in the local areas will be undertaken; this will range from simple treatment for existing rat infestations [to] work with other council services and communication with communities to address any resident behaviours which are contributing to any problem.”
Coatbridge representative Tracy Carragher, who successfully led last year’s campaign to record data on all vermin sightings reported by residents, welcomed the use of the data, saying: “I’m pleased we’ve now recorded all this and are taking action.”
The project in the six hotspots follows the allocation of an additional £150,000 in this year’s budget to treat “priority areas” reporting high levels of vermin sightings, while the usual pest control charge for non-council tenants reporting rat and mouse issues has also been suspended until July 2022.
Members were told in their meeting: “The increase in the problem of rats is not unique to North Lanarkshire; it’s been a problem throughout Scotland during the pandemic.”
They will be updated on the outcome of addressing the hotspots in six months’ time, with environment officials aiming to achieve “a gradual reduction in rat numbers throughout the identified areas, leading to fewer complaints in future months”.
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