03/28/2024

Wales News Online

Local & National News for Wales

Bridgend cabinet opts to retain free domestic pest control service

THE Cabinet of Bridgend County Borough Council has agreed to retain a free pest control service for residents.

The local authority currently offers a free domestic service for rats, mice, bedbugs, cockroaches, and only charges for the treatment of fleas and wasps. Rentokil is contracted to provide the service until 31 October 2021.

At a meeting on Tuesday 18 May, Cabinet was presented with a report about the future of the service and was presented with several options including discontinuing the service, re-tendering the contract and introducing a charge for residents, re-tendering the contract, and keeping a free service, or bringing the service in-house.

Cabinet was told that across Wales most local authorities either provide a full chargeable service or do not provide a service at all.

Councillor Dhanisha Patel, Cabine member for Wellbeing and Future Generations said:

“We believe there should be a free pest control service for residents – it’s a very popular service and call-outs have increased during the pandemic.

Not providing a service for residents is not an option. If a rat enters someone’s home, it does not mean it is their problem. If we start charging it could discourage people from reporting them.”

The Cabinet agreed to tender to see if the market could provide an improved pest control service.

Shared Regulatory Services continues to respond to pest control issues where individuals’ activities may impact others’ public health. This service will not be affected as it is separate from the council’s domestic pest control contract.

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