Agenda item

Rat Control Charges

It was moved by Councillor Keith Davis, seconded by Councillor Jack Clarkson, that this Council:-

(a)       believes that vermin (Rat) infestation is primarily caused by poor personal domestic housekeeping and incorrect disposal of waste and discarded foodstuffs;

(b)       understands that certain areas of Sheffield, namely Page Hall, are receiving a mass treatment for Rat infestation because the problem is so great, at no charge to any household or individual;

(c)       further understands that, throughout this treatment, just 5 charges have been brought for litter/tipping offences, one of which remains unpaid;

(d)       further understands that, because of austerity cuts, not all households should be in receipt of free vermin treatment, however suggests that people in receipt of a state pension should not be charged for any treatment, in line with others who receive the treatments free of charge; and

(e)       believes that where the cause of infestation that requires treatment is attributed directly to the household in question because of bad practice regarding waste/food disposal, then charges should apply irrespective of the status of the said householder.

Whereupon, it was moved by Councillor Terry Fox, seconded by Councillor Ben Curran, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by the deletion of all the words after the words “That this Council” and the addition of the following words:-

(a)        confirms that the rat control charge was introduced with regret, however, believes that this was unavoidable due to the unprecedented level of cuts imposed on the Council;

(b)        further notes that the charges have been in place for a number of years now and this has not resulted in increases in rat infestations throughout the city;

(c)         notes that removing charging for any group would have a financial implication for the Council, which is not accounted for in the motion;

(d)        notes that any measure to remove charges for rat control could have been introduced as part of the 2015/16 budget, set at the Full Council meeting on 6th March 2015, where the UKIP Group had the opportunity to put forward alternative budget proposals; and

(e)        recalls that the UKIP Group failed to put forward an alternative budget.

On being put to the vote, the amendment was carried.

(Note: Councillors Aodan Marken, Brian Webster, Robert Murphy and Sarah Jane Smalley voted for paragraphs (a) to (d) and abstained on paragraph (e) of the above amendment and asked for this to be recorded.)

It was then moved by Councillor Steve Ayris, seconded by Councillor Richard Shaw, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by the deletion of all the words after the words “That this Council” and the addition of the following words:-

(a)        acknowledges that there is a problem with rat infestation in some areas of the city, such as Page Hall; and

(b)       urges the Council to take reasonable steps to solve the issue.

On being put to the vote, the amendment was negatived.

The original Motion, as amended, was then put as a Substantive Motion in the following form and carried:-

RESOLVED: That this Council:-

(a)       confirms that the rat control charge was introduced with regret, however, believes that this was unavoidable due to the unprecedented level of cuts imposed on the Council;

(b)       further notes that the charges have been in place for a number of years now and this has not resulted in increases in rat infestations throughout the city;

(c)        notes that removing charging for any group would have a financial implication for the Council, which is not accounted for in the motion;

(d)       notes that any measure to remove charges for rat control could have been introduced as part of the 2015/16 budget, set at the Full Council meeting on 6^th March 2015, where the UKIP Group had the opportunity to put forward alternative budget proposals; and

(e)       recalls that the UKIP Group failed to put forward an alternative budget.

(Note: Councillors Aodan Marken, Brian Webster, Robert Murphy and Sarah Jane Smalley voted for paragraphs (a) to (d) and abstained on paragraph (e) of the Substantive Motion and asked for this to be recorded.)