A Derbyshire council is set to permanently scrap its pest control service because it cannot afford to continue running it without drastic price increases. South Derbyshire District Council is set to scrap its pest control service, which helps residents to remove concerns with rats, mice, fleas, bedbugs, cockroaches, ants and wasps.
The service has been suspended since April, last year, after the sole part-time pest control officer retired and a “temporary arrangement” with a private contractor was set up until a decision could be made on its future. Council documents show that in the last complete year (2023/2024), the service received 342 requests for pest control help, of which 188 were for wasps, 129 for rats and 25 for mice.
For comparison, Derby City Council’s figures for the same year saw 724 requests with 291 for wasps, 173 for rats, 137 for mice, 95 for bedbugs, 28 for fleas and six for cockroaches. The district council says responding to those 342 requests brought in £10,876 but that the cost of the service for a year was £14,000, meaning it was not covering its own costs.
It says to deliver a functional service with a full-time member of staff, plus finance for a new Ford Connect Van priced at £35,000 – to be spread over numerous years – would see the £26,669 in costs not covered by income. All in all, for the service to cover its own costs, it would need to bring in £42,919 a year in income, requiring fees for services to be increased by 200 per cent.
As a result, the council is set to scrap the service as a whole and have the environmental health team made able to respond to some pest issues for people who cannot afford to pay for a private service. It says this would range from “giving advice to taking enforcement action including carrying out works in default and placing a charge on the property”, and be funded by £5,000 per year.
The council says: “A partnership agreement could be sought with an accredited local supplier to receive our service request referrals for pest treatments for residents. Officers would seek advice from internal procurement regarding the best procurement route.”
It writes further: “Pest control treatment is a power but not a duty of the council. It is important to note that pest control treatment is a separate issue to enforcement of statutory pest control legislation which remains a duty of the council.
“Pest control treatment is a power but not a duty of the council. It is important to note that pest control treatment is a separate issue to enforcement of statutory pest control legislation which remains a duty of the council. The council will continue to support its communities regardless of which option is selected because of its continuing regulatory responsibilities regarding public health pests.
“Stopping the service will not provide a gap in community support because there are alternative providers and the council’s legal duties with regard to pest control will continue. “The service has been suspended since April 2024 and there has not been an increased demand for regulation as a result. If the service is stopped, consideration will be given to how this is communicated to residents.”
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