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| Jim McGovern MP and myself with some of the residents of Harrison Avenue blighted by seagulls |
Along with Jim McGovern MP as the Opposition Spokesperson for the Environment I am calling for Dundee City Council to review its current practice towards controlling Seagulls across Dundee.
Many people have raised concerns about the Seagulls but I would like people to get in touch with me with details of any issues they have recently had. By building up a full picture of this problem we can see its full scale and ask for more to be done. I have written to Ken Laing, Director of Environment for Dundee City Council asking about current measures undertaken to control Seagulls. I am looking for these to be reviewed and compared with other comparable local authorities. At present the council charge households for control methods, to me this seems far too high a price particularly for people living in known hot spot areas. I believe that other Councils operate a free scheme of deterring and removing eggs during breeding season when the birds are at their most vicious. We need an all round review of current measures with no option left off the table.
Jim McGovern MP said: 'Time and time again I am contacted by constituents who have been bothered by menacing Seagulls that have hit or dive bombed them after they nested on rooftops. This is not to mention other problems of noise, disease and spilling litter that they also create. The mess that they leave behind is evident across the whole City and detracts from local areas. It seems to me that current efforts by Dundee City Council are simply not stepping up to the mark as Seagulls continue to prove a complete nuisance and in a lot of cases danger across the City. I was also informed of the birds attacking local school pupils when they were eating their lunches. I know that there are restrictions on controlling wild animals but I believe the case can be made that these birds are a public health and safety hazard and more measures should be taken.'
Helen Potter, a local resident of Harrison Avenue said: 'This is a lovely area to live in but the Seagulls have become a real health and safety hazard. The sheer number of them that often land in our garden can be quite scary especially with our young granddaughter around. The mess they leave behind can be very dangerous if she comes into contact with it. The Council must do something about this as it is not our problem but it has been caused by the local businesses nearby attracting them yet if they nest on our roof we have to fork out £85 despite already paying enough in taxes.'
Many people have raised concerns about the Seagulls but I would like people to get in touch with me with details of any issues they have recently had. By building up a full picture of this problem we can see its full scale and ask for more to be done. I have written to Ken Laing, Director of Environment for Dundee City Council asking about current measures undertaken to control Seagulls. I am looking for these to be reviewed and compared with other comparable local authorities. At present the council charge households for control methods, to me this seems far too high a price particularly for people living in known hot spot areas. I believe that other Councils operate a free scheme of deterring and removing eggs during breeding season when the birds are at their most vicious. We need an all round review of current measures with no option left off the table.
Jim McGovern MP said: 'Time and time again I am contacted by constituents who have been bothered by menacing Seagulls that have hit or dive bombed them after they nested on rooftops. This is not to mention other problems of noise, disease and spilling litter that they also create. The mess that they leave behind is evident across the whole City and detracts from local areas. It seems to me that current efforts by Dundee City Council are simply not stepping up to the mark as Seagulls continue to prove a complete nuisance and in a lot of cases danger across the City. I was also informed of the birds attacking local school pupils when they were eating their lunches. I know that there are restrictions on controlling wild animals but I believe the case can be made that these birds are a public health and safety hazard and more measures should be taken.'
Helen Potter, a local resident of Harrison Avenue said: 'This is a lovely area to live in but the Seagulls have become a real health and safety hazard. The sheer number of them that often land in our garden can be quite scary especially with our young granddaughter around. The mess they leave behind can be very dangerous if she comes into contact with it. The Council must do something about this as it is not our problem but it has been caused by the local businesses nearby attracting them yet if they nest on our roof we have to fork out £85 despite already paying enough in taxes.'