Birmingham Local Conservatives are calling on the Labour Administration to act quickly to get the streets clean of rubbish before the 4 week birth cycle for rats leads to an explosion in rat numbers in the city.
Therefore, Local Conservatives are urging the Labour run Council to approach neighbouring Councils to ask if they can help clear up the 17,000 tonnes of rubbish that has built up on the streets of Birmingham. Following calls for the Labour-run Administration to adopt the Conservative’s plan to end the strike and clean the streets, the Conservative Opposition are now asking the Council to work with neighbouring authorities to draft in additional support. Whilst those authorities have to maintain their own collection and cleaning services, these do no operate 24/7, meaning there is an opportunity to use spare capacity to help clear the streets in Birmingham out of their normal operating hours.
In addition, Birmingham City Council are set to hold a vote on whether to declare a public health emergency and to adopt the Local Conservatives plan to end the strike and clean up Birmingham at tomorrow (Tuesday 8th April) Council meeting as part of a motion from the Local Conservative Group.
Cllr Robert Alden said
So far the Labour Council have failed to lead, now they need to put aside their ego and put residents first by asking our neighbouring Councils for any help they maybe able to give to get the refuse dumped across Birmingham cleared asap. It is unacceptable for the Council to think rubbish and rats can be left unchecked in any part of the city. We urge the Council, put aside worries about your reputation and work with us and others to get our city clean.
Reports of rats the size of cats, with pest controllers receiving unprecedented levels of call-outs, have led to wide spread concern about the continued piles of rubbish, particularly as the weather warms up. There are currently an estimated 17,000 tonnes of uncollected rubbish which has created a backlog that the council’s contingency plan (1 bin per household per week) will not clear, even if they are able to fully implement it.
Cllr Tim Huxtable said
It is clear that Labour should never have brought the city into this position, and that having done so they should have shown some leadership in trying to resolve it. But they cannot afford to now be shy in asking for help. The problem is simply too big. With a 4 weeks breeding cycle, and 12 litters per birth, the growth in the rat population will be exponential if serious and urgent action is not taken. Labour need to put their egos to one side, put residents first, ask for help and scrap their 'rat tax' now.
