Council to scrap pest control service

A Derbyshire council is set to permanently scrap its pest control service because it cannot afford to continue running it without drastic price increases.

South Derbyshire District Council had suspended the service since April after the sole part-time pest control officer retired and a temporary arrangement with a private contractor was set up.

The council said the service would need to increase fees by 200% to cover its costs.

Council documents show the authority received 342 requests for pest control help in a year, with 188 about wasps, 129 about rats and 25 about mice.

The district council brought in £10,876 from responding to the requests, but it cost the authority £14,000, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

The council says the service would need to bring in £42,919 a year in income to employ a full time member of staff and purchase a new van.

As a result, the council is set to scrap the service and has made the environmental health team available to respond to some pest issues for people who cannot afford to pay for a private service.

The council said: "Pest control treatment is a power, but not a duty of the council.

"It is important to note that pest control treatment is a separate issue to enforcement of statutory pest control legislation which remains a duty of the council."

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