A LARGS woman has pleaded with council bosses to take action over the bird droppings she says are making her life a misery – and has begged her neighbours to stop making the problem worse
Rene Edmond, 75, says she and her husband are at their “wits’ end” over the bird droppings at their home, which she told the News has been ongoing for more than two years.
She said that pleas from North Ayrshire Council (NAC) to its tenants at the Cumbrae Gardens social housing development, where the couple live, not to feed the birds have been ignored.
Local councillor Tom Marshall says the authority should issue an “ultimatum” to its own tenants over the issue.
Mrs Edmond said the problem presented a health hazard to her and her husband.
“We simply can’t use the veranda because of the problem,” she said. “There were 30 bird droppings in one morning last week.
“We have complained about it, again, but it is becoming such a long-running pain. Something really needs to be done.
“We’ve been told there is no law against feeding birds but it has an impact on our quality of life and is affecting my mental health.
“My neighbour is partially blind and could touch something which might be bird mess. She doesn’t know; she can’t see.
“All I want is for the council to tell them to stop feeding the birds and it would all stop.”
An official from North Ayrshire Council’s housing department wrote to all its Cumbrae Gardens tenants in December 2022 to “respectfully ask that if you are feeding birds that you stop with immediate effect”, adding: “I appreciate that this is well meant but some tenants are concerned about the nuisance caused.”
But a further letter to residents, in May last year, in response to Mr and Mrs Edmond’s concerns, a council official warned that to feed birds was “a breach of tenancy”.
Mrs Edmond said that warning had had little or no effect and that jackdaws, seagulls and pigeons were still coming to the building looking for food.
“It is a health hazard, she added.
"The council are basically telling me that there is nothing more they can do, but surely if it is causing me stress and preventing me from going out on my veranda it needs to be looked at.
"I’m effectively paying for a facility I can’t use.”
Councillor Marshall said: “As I understand it, residents have been told not to feed the birds, so for them to continue is completely unacceptable.
“Housing officers need to come down tough and give an ultimatum to the tenants.
“Environmental health have sometimes got involved in these kinds of situation in the past as sometimes the problem attracts pests and vermin and that is not acceptable.”
A North Ayrshire Council spokesperson said: “We understand that this matter is continuing to cause issues for some residents at Cumbrae Gardens.
“Environmental health officers have been involved and provided advice on the situation previously.
"The council has no powers to stop people feeding birds unless a significant amount of foodstuffs are left out for a long period of time.
We intend to write to residents again to ask them to refrain from feeding the birds from balconies and to consider the nuisance being caused to other neighbours, as well as following up further with the properties involved directly.”
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