I just wondered if anyone new what were the responsibilities of Parish Councils now running allotments for the control of vermin. Particularly rats and rabbits, which have recently become a major problem since the site had its fencing renewed last year. When the local council were in charge the rule was that you were not allowed to bait or trap and they handled control. Now that control has passed to the Parish Council they seem to be ignoring the problem even though a lot of complaints have been made regarding the growing rat population, and I have been informed told one complainer that they had no intention of controlling the rats and it was up to the plotholder.
I would be surprised if many tenancy agreements said that PCs were responsible for controlling vermin.
Ours certainly does not. However, our PC will put poison down for rats if plot holders can give them a clue where they have been seen.
To take one step back. Do you have a constructive relationship with the PC? not you personally but the site? Do you have a site rep., committee or whatever that can sit down with the PC and discuss issues such as this? If you do then you are more likely to see some rewards than you would if you all go in individually.
Similarly, the site rep (et al) could ensure that plot holders do what they can to minimise rat infestations, e.g. monitoring their compost heaps and using the resultant compost when it is ready rather than (as some do) leaving it for many years with the result that vermin is attracted to the nice soft conditions in a heap where they are unlikely to disturbed.
As for rabbits - without knowing your particular situation - I would say that you are on your own. But again, if the site rep. or whoever can have a sensible discussion with the PC who knows what may be possible?
I have found it has paid dividends to keep in close touch with our parish council.I often email our parish clerk re allotment matters and we have a good relationship.They can not solve everything but I do believe they are behind us. :)
The Parish Council was given control of the allotments about two years ago and are pretty clueless as to how to run them. Even simple services such as grass cutting on the main driveways seems to be too much for them and has been left to individual plotholders. I agree that those who have complaints should take them to the site rep or the commitee first, but many people have complained directly to the parish council with absolutely no result. When the problem first occurred they actually did bait, after concerted complaints over a period of three to four months, but for some reason this only happened over the Winter and they failed to continue baiting in the next season (Last Year). The main problem is the allotments which are rented but not being worked or even visited by the plotholder. These are perfect as an undisturbed area for the rats to breed. I know from working on farms in my youth that rats do not like being disturbed. These plots have been drawn to the attention of the Parish Council. Even though they persistently tell us that there is a waiting list and the rules state that allotments have to be maintained and worked they don't seem to be doing much to get rid of these slackers beyond sending letters when the complaints come in. I know of two plots which have not been worked for the last five years. These are plots where rats are definitely using the greenhouses and sheds to breed. The Parish Council is well aware of this situation,and you would think that they would at least take one of the plots away and reallocate it to someone on the waiting list. I recently heard of one occasion where they told a complaining plotholder that they were not going to do anything and that he should bait or trap on his own behalf. This in my opinion is not on and I thought that perhaps someone on allotments4all might know what the responsibilities of a Parish Council are in the running of allotments, or could point me to where I might be able to find this out. If I can find out what our rights are as plot holders in this matter it will be easier for us to put together some sort of concerted complaint or action and get them to do the right thing.
The plague of rabbits this year is due to the fencing having been replaced last year. The Old fencing was a wreck but was overgrown with brambles and was a pretty good barrier against the surrounding rabbit population. When the new fencing was installed they removed the undergrowth and brambles first and then left a large gap at the bottom when they installed the fencing. It was put in as a security measure but the rabbits are more of a pest to plotholders than the local kids and occasional vandals who will just find another way in anyway are.
I was told the other day that Muntjac deer are also getting in now. I already knew that they were always occasional visitors but not in any great numbers and didn't seem to do much damage. I will be interested to see if the number of sightings are on the increase this season.
I would be thankful for any advice or information that might help us out.
We are given an endless supply of rat poison. We can get it from our lottie shop as and when required. This may be partly due to the fact that our site is now totally surrounded by built up housing estates. ::)
It sounds like the Local Council has washed its hands of your allotment site and given it to the Parish Council, but not giving them any budget to do the job (or expertise).
I'm guessing that the Paris Council want nothing to do with it (probably as they have no money or staff available)
Its a common political method of reducing cost - play ping-pong (wiff-waff) with responsibility meanwhile reducing the expenditure.
Rather than use poison, do you know anyone with Jack Russells? They'd just love to do a bit of ratting/rabbiting.
Quote from: huehueteotl on April 17, 2009, 12:13:42
I was told the other day that Muntjac deer are also getting in now. I already knew that they were always occasional visitors but not in any great numbers and didn't seem to do much damage. I will be interested to see if the number of sightings are on the increase this season.
You won't get Muntjac's in great numbers, they don't herd. All you get will be the immediate family, Usually the parents and one or two youngsters. I have some video (close-up with a powerful lens) but only the pair in Winter. I also have some stills of the same pair. http://www.erowell.co.uk/Wildlife-HTML/index.htm (http://www.erowell.co.uk/Wildlife-HTML/index.htm)
I enjoyed looking at your pictures Larkshall ;D
Quote from: ktlawson on April 17, 2009, 23:40:22
We are given an endless supply of rat poison. We can get it from our lottie shop as and when required. This may be partly due to the fact that our site is now totally surrounded by built up housing estates. ::)
Thanks for posting this. That sounds to me like a very sensible solution and I intend to get several people to suggest this to the PC. I hope it is not too sensible for them to adopt. ;)
We get occasional visits from the Council rat man, who always leaves us with a large bucket of poison. When it runs out, we manage to see rats so we can call him out again.
mmmmm, sounds the same as here in mk, we had a new fence put up when the pc took over but now with the great holes under the fence anything comes in, bloody (sorry) rats are everywhere and something a bit bigger I think as the tops have been eaten off my leeks already, mite camp out in shed with air rifle and get the little buggers. >:(
Hi
Rats/mice are easy to deal with, well control with the new poison in paste form, one nibble at the paste and they die, unlike alot of the warferin based poisons. The rats around my shed also seem to like the taste of the paste! hehe
Rabbits if they are real bad, work perhaps getting intouch with a local gamekeeper, he will put you intouch with the right people, and it won't cost you a thing. Other than that, there are live traps for sale, where you go and release them far away.
Cheers
Dave