BROMSGROVE District Council has agreed to help sort out a rat infestation by the shops in Rubery’s New Road even though it denied responsibility for the land.
According to Coun Peter McDonald some residents have stopped using the footpath from Callowbridge Road to the High Street because of the number of rats at the bottom of the steps.
He said: “The district council is no longer regularly putting poison down.
“Yet they are fully aware from previous infestations and that the footpath is a natural habitat for rats.
“Rat urine is responsible for the spread of leptospirosis which can result in liver and kidney damage.”
Coun McDonald believes the health and wellbeing of Rubery residents is seriously at risk.
A district council spokesperson said: “Our officer went to assess the area over the weekend and confirmed that there is a potential issue.
“The team did a litter pick and have planned to cut back some of the vegetation to try and reduce the appeal of the area for the rats.”
The district council is launching an investigation to find out who is responsible for the upkeep of the area.
“Our officers are working with Worcestershire County Council and the shop owners to establish the options going forward.”
- THE British Pest Control Association (BPCA) said this week the heatwave was providing perfect conditions for rats, mice and wasps to prosper.
Kevin Higgins, BPCA Technical Advisor, said: “The number of call-outs for rats and mice usually drops in the summer.
“Because of the warmth, they usually move away from homes and outbuildings to outdoor environments.
“However there is no evidence of that this year and they appear to be staying indoors in commercial and domestic properties.”
Mr Higgins believes rodents might be hanging around as there is lots of fruit in people’s gardens at this time of year and they don’t have as far to travel for food.
