PEOPLE in Pendle are to be charged to call out the council’s pest control team to deal with rats, mice and cockroaches.

Councillors said they made the controversial decision after being called out ‘to kill rodents time and time again’ at the same premises.

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Pendle Council had operated a free call-out service but officers suggested this should be stopped after they said they were repeatedly returning to the same addresses after prevention advice was ignored.

Figures show the council’s pest control team have been called out to deal with infestations on average 1,156 times per year for the last seven years.

It has now been agreed a fee of £20 will be charged per call out.

Pendle council’s own website states ‘domestic pest removal is free, because rats and mice are considered a risk to public health’.

Community leaders said it was unfortunate that council tax payers would be hit by the charge.

Cllr Paul White, who represents the Boulsworth ward in Colne, said: “It doesn’t seem a radical solution to make householders foot the bill but I think the council should be thinking outside the box and coming up with cheaper solutions to administering the pest control service.

“I’ve seen figures that other councils can maintain the service cheaper by contracting out.”

Council leader, Cllr Mohammed Iqbal, said: “The budget savings are needed due to drastic cuts in our Government grant.

“Yes we will be charging for exterminating rats and mice but it’s still very competitive.

“I understand private companies will charge around £60 for a call out whereas our fee will be just £20.”

Cllr Joe Cooney, opposition leader, said: “Pest control isn’t a statutory service for the council and I believe the service costs around £100,000 per year and it only receives around £30,000.

“I believe efforts have been made to make it more commercially viable and I think it would be an idea for commercial premises to be charged while having a lower charge for domestic households who are unfortunate enough to have an infestation.

“This could allow the officers to bid for more lucrative pest control work.”

Councillors also agreed to implement a 10 per cent rise in charges for other pest extermination’s such as ants, fleas, wasps and bedbugs, which already incur charges.

The decision to charge for the previously free service is part of a wide range of budget savings.

Pendle Council needs to save an estimated £4.8million by 2019/20 to meet the central governments austerity cuts.

Neighbouring Blackburn with Darwen Council also implemented a similar pest control charge of £30 in April 2015.

The authority quickly noticed a huge drop in the number of requested call outs despite a surge in complaints of rat infestations.

The council performed a u-turn and dropped the £30 fee in April this year.

Vince Green, Pendle Council’s financial services manager, said in a report: “The problem with having a free pest control service is that often residents are not taking the advice of the pest control officers and simply expect that we will return to kill the rodents time and time again.

“This is neither an efficient use of officer time nor an effective way of controlling pests.

“Pest control is not a statutory service and residents have the option of using commercial companies rather than the council.

“Commercial company charges are variable but are generally higher than Pendle’s charges.

“There is scope to increase costs and still remain highly competitive.

He added: “It is considered that the introduction of a fee will also encourage residents to ‘own’ their pest problem and take the advice of the pest control officer.

“It is anticipated that the number of requests for service will decrease through reduction of repeat call outs.”

The charges are likely to be introduced from April 2017.

Councillors said a 25 per cent to 50 per cent reduction in demand would result in additional income of between £17,340 and £11,560 per year due to the new charge.