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PESTS AND VERMIN.
The Council is under a duty by the Prevention
of Damage by Pests Act 1949 to take steps to ensure
that premises and land in the district are kept free
from rats and mice, and for this purpose may require
occupiers to carry out treatments and such other works
as might be needed. Occupiers of premises also have
a responsibility to report the presence of rats in
considerable numbers.
As part of the survey of the district carried
out for these purposes 491 premises were examined.
One hundred and sixty nine of these premises were found
to be infested by rats to a varying degree. The
infestations were all dealt with by the rodent operative.
Treatments at dwelling houses were carried out free of
cost but a charge based on the cost of labour and material
was made in respect of works at business premises.
The conditions supporting an infestation were invariably
sought and when necessary advice was given as to the
measures needed to prevent a re-infestation. Defective
drainage was frequently found to be associated with the
presence of rats as was also the keeping of fowls.
Two treatments of the sewers serving the district
were undertaken during the year. These treatments
involved the laying of pre-baits followed by poison baits
in the manholes. The number of manholes shewing
use by rats on these occasions was twenty-seven and
thirty-one respectively, a slightly higher incidence
than in recent years but certainly very considerably
lower than when sewer treatments were commenced in 1947#
It is estimated that as a result of these efforts
of the rodent operative, accounting for 1,554 visits,
some 1,500 rats were destroyed.
Another thirty premises were treated for
infestations by mice.
No legal proceedings were necessary in connection
with this rodent control activity.
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