Pest control services in Birmingham 'must remain free' council told

Resistance over moves to privatise the city's rat-catching service.

Birmingham public protection chiefs have objected to plans to privatise the councils pest control services - fearing that rat catchers could become unaffordable for ordinary residents.

The service has been told to become self-funding within two years in a bid to cut the 600,000 from the councils budget. Officers have suggested that outsourcing the service and increasing charges as a way of tackling the budget cut.

At present rat and mice catching services are free, but there are charges, which average around 60, to deal with wasp nests, birds, rodents, squirrels and fleas, as well as a paid for pest-proofing service for properties.

Members of the licensing and public protection committee, which oversees the councils pest control service, have said that rat catching should remain free and warned against out sourcing the service.

Coun Peter Kane (Lab, Kingstanding) said: Although there are short comings in the service they are not the result of the department but of the resources they are given.

He said he was highly sceptical of privatisation. Our experience of out sourcing in the past has been a disaster, he added.

His colleague Coun Majid Mahmood (Lab, Hodge Hill) said that the rat catching service must remain free to ensure Birmingham remains pest free.

He argued that rodent problems are most prevalent in deprived areas and that these were a priority for the city council.

He said: We must still be able to deliver the first class service that our citizens have become used to. Pest control must remain a priority for us.

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Pest control services in Birmingham 'must remain free' council told