FOI Request - Seagull Management
Request 101002887329
1. What the council’s full policy is regarding the management of the seagull population and dealing with complaints about seagulls.
2. How many complaints have been made about seagulls for each of the last five calendar years.
3. On how many occasions seagulls have had to be culled in each of the last five calendar years.
4. The three council wards with the most complaints relating to seagulls in each of the last five calendar years.
5. How much money has been spent managing and dealing with seagull-related complaints in each of the last five calendar years.
6. How much money has been spent on literature and public information documents relating to seagulls in each of the last five calendar years.
Response 14/10/2021
1. A Notice of Motion was submitted to the Moray Council Committee on 15 September 2021. The following was decided at the meeting (minute not available yet):
The Motion which was carried was:-
a. To instruct officers to bring a paper to the next Economic and Development and Infrastructure Committee on 19 October 2021 with the potential measures Moray Council could put in place to support communities with Gull problems along with costings.
b. That the Leader and Chief Executive will write to the Scottish Government and local MSPs highlighting the concerns of local people and calling on them to consider a new funding package to support coastal communities who face Gull problems.
In addition, measures have recently been undertaken on behalf of Housing and Property as follows (see attached report):
The key measures carried out to date include;-
a. 175 nests & 441 eggs removed from 17 Commercial Buildings (out of 35 covered in Elgin ,Forres, Aberlour Buckie, Lossiemouth & Keith).
b. 20 chicks removed under license from (Keith Grammar & Lossie High School).
c. Laser disruption scheme to 35 Commercial Buildings.
d. Installation of a sonic scarer at Council Annexe, Elgin.
e. Laser disruption scheme to private and Council owned house roofs in all areas of Elgin as well as Pilmuir, Forres.
f. 130+ nests and 250+ eggs Nests removed from 150+ domestic properties in Elgin (including 7 in Forres) . Approximately 40% of these properties are Council owned.
2. Two
3. The Council does not cull gulls
4. Elgin North (both complaints)
5.
Complaint 101001853351 - customer complained about the street in Elgin being a mess with seagull faeces, cigarette butts and dirty doorways. Advised customer that the streets are swept every day and at the weekends. The Council contacted Elgin BID to remind business in the town centre to also take responsibility for cleanliness.
Complaint 101002261023 - customer complained about seagull faeces on the top level of Batchen Lane Car Park. Advised customer that the car park would be inspected and cleaned (which it already is on a regular basis). Advised customer that CCTV would be installed to monitor the seagulls when the car park is closed as the problem is worse than it has been before (cost not included below). The Council is looking at longer term measures to discourage seagulls from nesting in this area.
To deal with issues across Council buildings and Schools see attached spreadsheet and the following:
2016/2017 - £5324.44
2017/2018 - £7645.00
2018/2019 - £5740.00
2019/2020 - £9144.00
2020/2021 - £32,876.62
2021/2022 - £3490.00 (to date)
6. The Council provides the following information on the website: http://www.moray.gov.uk/moray_standard/page_82583.html