North Yorkshire Council has increased the cost of some of its pest control services.
The cost of paying the council to treat ants has gone up from £56.40 to £87 and the cost of treating wasps has risen from £66 to £73.
However, council fees for tackling rats, mice and grey squirrels have been pegged at £108, £98.40 and £175.20 respectively locally.
It is part of a move by the new council to harmonise pest control fees in the county.
North Yorkshire Council replaced seven district and borough councils, including Harrogate, in April.
Four of the previous councils — Harrogate, Hambleton, Richmondshire and Ryedale. — treated pests, which is a discretionary service local authorities are not obliged to provide.
According to a council report, Harrogate Borough Council was the only one to make a profit from pest control. The other three councils subsidised the service.
Harrogate Borough Council spent £102,100 on the service in 2022/23 and generated £153,600 — a profit of £51,500.
Now the council has set a new set of fees, which it estimates will generate a £13,000 profit this year.
The report says:
“The benefit is not significant in terms of income, but it would achieve greater consistency in charges across localities.”
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Rubbish bins removed at Ripon gardens to keep rats at bay
Rubbish bins have been removed from Temple Gardens in Ripon in a bid to keep rats at bay.
Harrogate Borough Council has responsibility for the small, secluded gardens located off Allhallowgate and is following in the footsteps of Ripon City Council, which removed bins from the Quarry Moor car park after a rat infestation caused the temporary closure of the children’s playground on site.
After the vermin issue was eradicated the playground reopened in time for last year’s school holidays.
At the February full city council meeting, the council’s chief officer, Paula Benson said that there had been a problem with rats at Temple Gardens and pointed out:
“When the Quarry Moor bins were removed the rat population diminished.”
She added:
“If you have bins, you are going to have rats.”
Cllr Pauline McHardy said:
“The problem occurs when bins get full to overflowing with discarded bits of food and wrapping.
“We need to encourage people who go to Temple Gardens to have something to eat, to take their rubbish home with them or put it in more suitably-located bins.”
Councillors agreed to ask HBC to put improved signage in place asking users of the gardens to take their rubbish with them.
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Valley Gardens visitors urged not to feed ducks
Visitors to Harrogate’s Valley Gardens are being encouraged not to feed the ducks because of the risk of attracting rats.
Harrogate Borough Council recently installed a notice warning people of the risks associated with leftover food on the ground.
It said this could cause issues with rodents and overfed ducks.
However, the council stressed it had no plans to close the gardens, as occurred at Quarry Moor playground in Ripon 18 months ago when the number of rats caused a public health concern.
A council spokesperson said:
“We understand visitors to Valley Gardens in Harrogate enjoy feeding the ducks. However, doing so can attract rats that may feed on the food that is left, and also result in the ducks being overfed.
“Therefore, we would urge people not to feed the ducks.
“We have absolutely no intention whatsoever to close Valley Gardens.”
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Playground in Ripon to finally reopen tomorrow after rat infestation
A children’s playground in Ripon that was closed in September due to a “huge” number of rats eating leftover food will finally reopen tomorrow.
Ripon City Council officials shut Quarry Moor playground last year amid public health concerns caused by the rodents.
It said it collected a minimum of eight rubbish bags a day, which was “a constant food supply” to the rats.
But with half-term underway, the playground is now free from rodents and safe for children to play in.
The council posted the good news on its Facebook page today. However, it asked visitors to take any litter home with them to deter the rats from returning.
“We are pleased to share the news that Quarry Moor playground will be open from tomorrow.
“May we politely request that you take your litter home with you to avoid issues with rodents. This will ensure the playground remains open. Thank you for your cooperation.”
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Ripon playground remains closed due to rats
Three weeks after rat infestation closed a children’s play area in Ripon, the gates remain chained up.
Vermin control measures are in place at Quarry Moor playground, which is owned and operated by Ripon City Council.
To tackle the problem, the council has been clearing discarded food waste and put up signs asking visitors to the adjacent nature reserve to take their rubbish home with them.
Discarded food items attracted rats to the area.
The playground will remain closed until the rat problem, which poses a threat to public health, is eradicated.
Among those monitoring the situation and removing dead rats from the site is Trevor Welbourn, who regularly visits Quarry Moor park with his Labrador, Sparky.
Mr Welbourn told the Stray Ferret:
“Before the pest control measures were put in place, I was here one morning and there must have been at least 20 rats in the car park, eating discarded food.
“I come most days. I’ve removed 16 in the past week.”
Helping to rid the area of rodents — Trevor Welbourn and Rocky.
A statement by the city council when the park closed on September 15 said:
“The rat problem is worse than ever this year and we have unfortunately had to take the decision to close the playground on the grounds of public health.
“We will work with our partners at Harrogate Borough Council to address the pest problem and will explore all options available, including the use of poison, with both HBC and Natural England.
“We will make changes to the way rubbish is death with on site, all bins will be removed and we encourage all visitors to take their waste home with them.
“The volume of waste collected on site is huge. We usually collect a minimum of eight bags of rubbish per day, which is a constant food supply for the ever growing rat population.
“We will trial a metal trade waste bin in the car park in the short term but ask everyone to take their rubbish home.”
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The city council announced a refurbishment of the park this year, funded by council taxpayers through their parish precept.
The park, just off the A61 on the southern approach to Ripon, was donated to the city in 1945 by Alderman Thomas Fowler Spence.