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Rodent Control.
Two sewer treatments were carried out during the year.
In the first treatment, using sausage rusk as bait base and zinc
phosphide as poison, 1,382 manholes were baited. 462 showed complete
prebait takes and 66 partial takes.
The second treatment, using the same bait base and poison, was
resiricted roughly to those manholes which had shown takes in the
first treatment. 541 manholes were baited, 265 showed complete
prebait takes anl 42 partial takes.
The figures on both treatment show a slight reduction on 1958
figures, and it is hoped that this improvement will continue.
The following table gives details of surface treatments:—
Number of inspections made by Public Health Inspectors . 211
Complaints received 374
Revisits to premises 226
Visits to adjacent premises 99
Total premises visited 699
Number of baiting points 3,605
In April the Town Clerk reported to the Public Health Committee
the receipt of a circular from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries
and Food informing local authorities of the cessation, after 31st
March, 1959, of grants towards the cost of rodent control.
On the 27th November, 1959, a one-day course for rodent operatives
organised by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food,
was held in the Council Chamber. About 15 operatives from this and
neighbouring authorities attended. The course included lectures on
the latest methods of pest destruction interspaced with appropriate
films.
Essex County Council Act, 1933, Section 109
There were no applications for permission to place or keep moveable
dwellings on land situate within the borough. This section
provides that no moveable dwellings shall be placed or kept on any
land situate within any urban district in the County having a population
of not less than twenty thousand without the prior approval of
such urban council.
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