PIGEON problems at Retford Town Hall have led the district council to propose swooping in to start a cull. Bassetlaw District Council say dead birds and excrement are clogging up guttering at the town hall leading to water leaking into the historic structure.
The plans say a trap is to be set up on a flat roof at the top of the hall and will be baited on weekdays only. It will be left open and baited on weekends to avoid access problems to the hall and to ensure pigeons did not remain trapped for unnecessarily long periods of time.
In a proposal put to the council's Health and Safety Committee this week, the author says: "Pest Control Officers would be happy to build and install a trap large enough to allow pigeons to be trapped and humanely fed and watered pending euthanasia."
But the report added that the roof of the hall would need to be checked to make sure it will safely support the loads imposed, an area of decking or a parapet rail would need to be installed, a safer ladder would need to be put in place and permission may be needed as the plans include alterations to the outside of the listed building.
Local ornithologist and registered bird ringer, Adrian Blackburn, said he supported the proposal.
"It's been an ongoing problem and the fact is those pigeons should not be there and they are slowly destroying listed buildings," he said. "The council phoned me around ten years ago about it and they need to get in touch with me again. The trap would need to be checked regularly as it could catch all sorts of birds, not just pigeons. The best option would be getting a pair of peregrine falcons on a church roof and they would get the job done very quickly. Although I'll get some criticism for this view; it needs to be done."
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