Council to charge for pest control and stray dog services

Council to charge for pest control and stray dog services

7:31pm Monday 6th January 2014 in News

RAT catching and the returning of stray dogs by Stroud District Council (SDC) will now come with a price tag as it looks to plug a gap in its budget.

Getting rid of rats in homes has until now been a free service for the district's residents but they now face paying 45, or 30 for those on income-related benefits.

It will also cost dog owners 25 to have their pet returned if it is lost but micro-chipped, with the concessionary rate now removed, if the proposal is passed this evening (Thursday, January 9) at the Strategy and Resources Committee meeting.

The move was passed by the Environment Comittee at Ebley Mill on December 5 and is expected to be approved tonight, along with a host of other money-saving measures to meet a gap in the medium term financial plan.

SDC expects to earn 32,000 from the extra charges but will keep fees for other pests, including mice, wasps, fleas and other insects, the same.

Rat catching accounted for 1,134 visits by pest control officers last year, or 72 per cent of their total workload.

In his report to the Environment Committee, head of Environmental Health Jon Beckett said that because of the current economic climate, the move may cause concern for some users.

However this needs to be balanced against the fact that the council is facing increased financial pressures and all opportunities to generate income need to be considered, he said.

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Council to charge for pest control and stray dog services