Pest factor – wasps, bed bugs and rats top the critter list in East Dunbartonshire

RATS, wasps and bed bugs were just some of the pests dealt with by East Dunbartonshire Council during 1,275 call outs in just one year, according to a report published by the British Pest Control Association.
By The Newsroom
Published 21st Aug 2012, 15:04 BST

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The association carried out a national survey of local authorities from April 2010 - April 2011.

In East Dunbartonshire mice topped the list for call outs, with officers attending 636 incidents.

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They also dealt with 310 wasp related cases, 117 issues involving rats, and 193 for other insects.

There were also 17 call outs for bed bugs and two for cockroaches.

Councillor Ashay Ghai, convener of housing and community services, said: “Looking at the figures, and the fact that we rank 13th in the 2010/11 table, shows that we do not have a significant problem with pests in East Dunbartonshire compared to the rest of Scotland.

“Our officers deal with a reasonably small number of calls in the area and it is encouraging to see that calls are decreasing as we run a dedicated service in dealing with people’s pests in domestic and commercial premises.”

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“It is important to note that our officers effectively control the problems and eradicate any vermin and infestations that are brought to our attention.”

He added: “The council currently offers a really competitively priced pest control service to the public and local businesses and if anyone has a problem - for advice or treatment residents can call our Pest Control Service on 0141 578 8814.”

Simon Forrester, chief executive at the BPCA, said: “There may be a number of local factors why a council appears towards the top of one of the lists, but on a national scale the BPCA is concerned that pest control budgets are being hit.

“That may make it harder for councils in Scotland to respond as effectively as they would like, which could have implications for both quality of life and public health.”

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