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Response 3976540

Response to request for information

Reference

3976540

Response date

29 April 2026

Request

I am writing to request information about preventative pest control measures and compliance oversight at sites for which the Council has responsibility. Please provide the following information:

  1. A description of the preventative measures currently in place to reduce the risk of pest infestations at council-owned or council-managed sites. This should cover the full range of sites under the Council's control, including (but not limited to) housing stock, council offices, depots, public spaces, parks, and any other land or buildings managed by or on behalf of the Council. Please address each category of site, even if only briefly, rather than limiting the response to housing or tenant-facing services.
  1. Details of any policies, procedures, guidance, or standard operating procedures used to ensure that pest prevention and control activities comply with:
    1. Relevant legislation (including environmental health and animal welfare requirements)
    2. Any internal council standards or best-practice guidance.
  1. Information on how the Council monitors and ensures compliance with these preventative measures and guidelines, including:
    1. Any inspection, audit, or review processes, including the frequency of such processes, who is responsible for conducting them, and whether any independent or external scrutiny is applied
    2. The role of officers, teams, or contractors in overseeing compliance
    3. What action is taken, or what escalation process exists, where non-compliance or a failure of preventative measures is identified
  1. Where pest control services are delivered by external contractors, please confirm:
    1. What policies or codes of practice relating to prevention and control that external contractors are expected to comply with
    2. How the Council assures itself that those requirements are being met

Response

I am writing to request information about preventative pest control measures and compliance oversight at sites for which the Council has responsibility. Please provide the following information:

  1. A description of the preventative measures currently in place to reduce the risk of pest infestations at council-owned or council-managed sites. This should cover the full range of sites under the Council's control, including (but not limited to) housing stock, council offices, depots, public spaces, parks, and any other land or buildings managed by or on behalf of the Council. Please address each category of site, even if only briefly, rather than limiting the response to housing or tenant-facing services.

Preventative measures currently in place - Bird netting has been installed at sites to prevent birds from landing and roosting on buildings. Bird deterrent spikes and gels have also been added to roofs, ledges at numerous sites. These sites are both commercial and operational. 

We stopped selling bird seed from the visitor centre. Rodent proofed the visitor centre with wire mesh installed around the base of the building. Use concealed bait boxes to specifically target and poison rats. 

In respect of leisure premises that are council owned or managed on behalf of the council, some have third party pest control contract with a reputable pest control company for planned preventative control. Others undertake reactive pest control as and when necessary, again using a third party reputable supplier.

  1. Details of any policies, procedures, guidance, or standard operating procedures used to ensure that pest prevention and control activities comply with:
    1. Relevant legislation (including environmental health and animal welfare requirements)
    2. Any internal council standards or best-practice guidance.

The netting was completed by a 3rd party contractor and the work was completed on their recommendation. RBC does not have any policies, procedures, guidelines or standard operating procedures in this respect. The bird netting suppliers we have engaged with are expected to comply with all relevant legislation and carry out annual maintenance inspections.

The baiting boxes are provided by our internal Environmental Health and they follow strict guidelines and adhere to legislation. 

In respect of outsourced leisure services, the council has no polices, procedure, guidance, or standard operating procedures in relation to pest control functions in these establishments.

  1. Information on how the Council monitors and ensures compliance with these preventative measures and guidelines, including:
    1. Any inspection, audit, or review processes, including the frequency of such processes, who is responsible for conducting them, and whether any independent or external scrutiny is applied
    2. The role of officers, teams, or contractors in overseeing compliance
    3. What action is taken, or what escalation process exists, where non-compliance or a failure of preventative measures is identified

RBC engages specialist suppliers to monitor the condition of the bird netting installed on our sites. 

No information or policies regarding bait boxes supplied by our Environmental Health team. 

In respect of outsourced leisure service, the council does not monitor pest control activity in these premises.

  1. Where pest control services are delivered by external contractors, please confirm:
    1. What policies or codes of practice relating to prevention and control that external contractors are expected to comply with
    2. How the Council assures itself that those requirements are being met

The bird netting installation, spikes and gels have all been installed by external contractors. RBC expects the specialist suppliers it contracts with to comply with all relevant legislation as part of their service delivery.

Our leisure services operator are required to comply with all relevant legislation when delivering services in these premises.

FOI Responses Environmental Health 2026