Councillor Emmott rats on Councillor Hobhouse!

Date published: 19 January 2008

Labour Councillor Susan Emmott has pointed out that not all rat sightings are reported to the council and many are dealt with by private companies involved in pest control following Councillor Wera Hobhouse, the Council’s Portfolio Holder for the Environment, claim that Rochdale having the lowest increase in the number of reported sightings of rats in Greater Manchester should "nail the lie that alternate weekly collections lead to rats". 

Councillor Emmott said: "The National Pest Technicians Association, which is the independent body representing those working in the pest control industry, last year reported a 39% increase in call out for rat catchers and this rose to a huge 59% during summer months. This has been attributed to the increase in the number of councils adopting fortnightly bin collections.

"Not all rat sightings are reported to the Council. Indeed, The Campaign for Weekly Waste Collection, a national campaign headed by a lady in Hampshire called Doretta Cocks, has found evidence that some councils are simply logging complaints about fortnightly bin collections as 'enquiries'. So, this is not simply giving the full picture of the problems fortnightly collections cause."

A spokesman for the Labour Party Parliamentary Candidate Simon Danczuk said: "it is getting ridiculous when the Portfolio Holder for Environment is boasting of the lowest increase in the number of rat sightings - an increase is an increase!"

Councillor Hobhosue responded: "Yes there is unfortunately an increase in rat sightings but it is directly due to the amount of litter that is being dropped every day and night onto our streets. It is not related to Alternate Weekly Collections, as the comparison with other authorities, which still operate a weekly landfill collection, demonstrates.
 
"Rats  don't need  to bother with complicated acrobatics like climbing up a bin and lifting a bin lid  when every day and night people are dropping the goodies right on to the street in easy reach for any rat.
 
"Yes, lets make sure that we do not have any rats, but don't confuse the cause for it. Let's instead make sure that people stop the disgusting habit of dropping litter."