Agenda item

At its meeting on 21^st September 2022, Agenda Item 9 Subsidised Pest Control Treatments, Cabinet resolved:

That Cabinet note the report.

That Cabinet agree to reduce the subsidy to pest control treatments for rodents relating to domestic properties through a £30 appointment fee

In accordance with the Call-In Procedure for Cabinet Decisions, the procedure has been activated. The following documents are included:

Call-In Form

Copy of Cabinet Report from 21^st September 2022 – Subsidised Pest Control Treatments

Extract from Minutes of Cabinet 21^st September 2022

Recommended – That the Committee does ONE of the following:

·         To release the Cabinet decision in full for implementation; or

·         To release the Cabinet decision in part for implementation, and refer the outstanding part of the decision back to the decision making body forreconsideration, setting out in writing the nature of its concerns; or

·         To refer the decision back to the decision making person or body for reconsideration, setting out in writing the nature of its concerns.  The decision maker shall then reconsider amending the decision or not, before adopting a final decision.

As per the Council’s Call-In procedure, the Chair invited the sponsor of the call-in, Cllr Scott Brerton to explain the reasons for the call-in.

Cllr Brerton presented the case, and highlighted that the main reasons were included on the call-in form. He stated that he supports a functioning service, however was concerned about the cabinet decision and felt that it needed scrutinising for the following reasons:

-       Public health concerns, with the potential for diseases carried by rats to increase

-       Affordability of the £30 payment at a time when residents are already facing large increases in the cost of living

-       Lack of public consultation

-       Lack of consideration of alternative solutions to reducing the wait time of 5 weeks

-       Issues with the private rented sector and the potential impact on the Environmental Health department

-       Structural issues caused to domestic properties by rats

-       Consideration that, although the introduction of a charge may reduce the waiting list, the policy deals only with the waiting list and not with the issue of rodent infestations

Cllr Brerton concluded that he felt the decision should be reconsidered.

Cllr Steve Smithson and Craig Haraben were invited by the Chair to explain the rationale for the decision. They referred to the following, the majority of which was included in the report to Cabinet on 21^st September:

-       There is currently a 5 week waiting list, for which they receive numerous complaints from residents

-       A 5 week wait is unacceptable as it allows time for rats to multiply

-       Out of 1080 jobs in a one year period, 48% resulted in no pest control being carried out, often due to the officers not being able to access the property. This was a significant cost to the Council and a waste of resources

-       Some landlords abuse the system, directing their tenants to contact the council for rodent complaints when this is in fact an issue which should be dealt with by landlords.

-       A £25 charge for missed appointments was previously introduced and has not been successful in reducing the waiting list

-       It is hoped that the decision will reduce the waiting list from 5 weeks to between 2 and 5 days.

The Chair invited committee members to ask questions. Councillor McKenzie asked if the decision needs to be implemented now. He suggested what might seem like a small charge to some people when compared with private pest control companies is unaffordable to some residents at the present time. He suggested this decision should be delayed. He also asked that, if there is an issue with some landlords abusing the system, does this mean the Council are failing to deal with problem landlords? He suggested consideration of a system whereby the Council recharges landlords rather than charging the tenant directly.

The topic of the Household support fund was raised. Lyndsey Sims, Chief executive of Hyndburn Leisure who was present at the meeting to report on the fund as another agenda item, suggested that, should the fee be introduced, those who genuinely could not afford the payment would be eligible for a grant from the household support fund to cover the costs and a mechanism could be put in place to deal with this. This was discussed widely by the Committee with a general consensus that this should be supported.

Cllr Scott Brerton, who Sponsored the call-in, proposed the following, which was approved by the Committee:

Resolved        -

The Committee releases the Cabinet decision in part for implementation, and refer the outstanding part of the decision back to the decision making body for reconsideration, setting out in writing the nature of its concerns”

In reference to the above, and following the procedure for call-in of cabinet decisions, the Committee release the implementation of a £30 appointment fee, but recommends:

That Cabinet sets up a suitable mechanism to refer those residents who cannot afford the £30 fee into the Household Support Fund, who can provide funding for those eligible to meet the costs; and

That Cabinet reviews the impact of the decision in 12 months-time and reports back to the Communities and Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee.