Scrapping Shropshire Council pest control officers will hit residents hard, says councillor

The council has launched a consultation which could see the service removed altogether, and left to the private market.

These services currently run five days a week, covering everything from bed bugs and rats to wasps and ants.

Liberal Democrat councillors in the county say they are concerned about the impact that the abolition of the service could have, particularly on estates where rats and other vermin are often raised as an issue on the doorstep.

Liberal Democrat group leader Roger Evans has written to the chief executive of Shropshire Council asking how this policy can be justified. He has been joined in opposing the plans by Bowbrook councillor Alex Wagner.

Councillor Wagner said: “The removal of pest control services by Shropshire Council behind closed doors will really sting for residents in areas like Gains Park, Harlescott Grange, and Monkmoor where the service is regularly used to deal with rodents and other vermin.

“There were 1,300 call-outs for rats in Shropshire last year. That is clear evidence of the huge public demand there is for a service in pest control which is affordable - we may lose that if these cuts go ahead. Slashing public services for the sake of it cannot be justified, especially when the public interest case here is so clear.”

In his letter to council chief executive Andy Begley, Councillor Evans asked who had made the decision concerning a change of policy to potentially stop delivering "this important and needed service".

"Is this the way we now treat loyal hard-working staff with many years’ service?"

Shropshire Council has said that the service area is being consulted with, but no decisions have been made.

It said the staff's roles within the team were at risk but redeployment is an option. The consultation will run until the middle of July.