"Kill Em" says City Council

[MartinL]

Just drove 28 miles to collect a cast from a friend's garden.

He had been chasing Birmingham Council since Wednesday, (to collect them) but none of the "beekeepers" were available!



He phoned again yesterday afternoon and the conversation went thus;

BCC- are you sure they are really honey bees?

Friend- not 100%, no?

BCC- Ok well, if you are not sure then you can just kill them.

My friend hung up!

No wonder bees are struggling in the inner cities if all the "hard up" City Councils have the same policy!

 

[GlenJ]

bad timing - bees don't have a vote!

 

[madasafish]

Birmingham City Council is the subject of a highly critical report on their child protection systems http://tinyurl.com/px7ka3y and frankly is just plain incompetent at most things. SO expecting a sensible reply is in my view optimistic.

 

[richardbees]

In all fairness - bees are nothing to do with the Local Authority!

 

[REDWOOD]

In all fairness - bees are nothing to do with the Local Authority!

Unless they are causing a disturbance or a public nuisance

 

[victor meldrew]

My local council is directing people to the BBKA web site ,unless of course you happen to live in council property . Funny how they can always find time for complaints of any kind emanating from thus . Don't think they've worked out that the funding comes from council taxes payed by the private sector in the main
VM


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[ourMikeGeorge]

Don't think they've worked out that the funding comes from council taxes payed by the private sector in the main

Do you actually know that the funding comes from council tax? And are you suggesting that council tenants aren't paying council tax?

 

[Russel]

OP.
Send them a copy of this https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bees-and-other-pollinators-their-health-and-value. May not get a response but may prick their conscience.

 

[Summerslease]

And if the council comes and collects a cast that local beeks are not interested in what happens then? Do they hive it at public expense? Do they kill it at public expense? Perhaps you could direct me to the council apiary where lost swarms are lovingly cared for? Let's get real here. All this annoyance should be directed to the less than competent beekeeper who let his/her colony swarm in the first place. This forum has plenty of examples of people who are watching their bees swarm to become a nuisance for everyone else.

 

[drex]

Swarms happen, even to the most experienced! I aim to keep it to minimum. Life gets in the way at times and bees wil be bees

 

[Eyeman]

This is an email I sent to Trafford council after 2 bumblebee callers said they were going to pay the council to get rid of them:

Feedback
Comment: Hi
I'm a swarm collector with the British beekeeping association.
Your advice on bees especially bumblebees should refer the person to the bumblbee conservation trust website. You should not offer to remove bumblebees from above the first floor, gutters etc as these do not pose a significant health risk and bees entering the house through the window can be stopped by placing a simple mesh over the open window.
I answer 20+ calls a day to give advice mainly concerning bumblebees, usually in the eves/ gutters and manage to convince the owner to leave them alone as they will leave in autumn to hibernate. I agree that those near the ground floor can be a nuisance. But in the first instance everyone should be referred to the above website which will hopefully convince the owner why the bumblebee should be cherished and looked after.
I hope you will change your web site!
Alec
Rating: 1

Their reply:

Good afternoon

Thank you for your recent interest in trafford.gov.uk

We understand your concern with our Pest Control page, but we do have a page with information specifically relating to bees here: http://www.trafford.gov.uk/residents/environment/pest-control/pest-information/bees.aspx

This page includes a link to the British Beekeepers website.

Further to your comments, and to help people keep informed about the importance of bees, we will be adding a link from the fees and charges page to the bees page.

Regards


Trafford Web Team
Communications | Trafford Council | Trafford Town Hall | Talbot Road | Stretford | M32 0TH
Email: [email protected]

 

[victor meldrew]

Do you actually know that the funding comes from council tax? And are you suggesting that council tenants aren't paying council tax?

No no dear boy !
I'm pointing out the less than level playing field .
Council properties get top priority in every field , from pest control , traffic calming, street lighting .
I have personal experience going back over 50 years ?
In most boroughs the owner occupiers input into the town hall coffers is higher being that there's more of them .
During the big freeze 1962/63 .
I had no water for 6 weeks . Council said not their responsibility, yet a joiner friend of mine was complaining that he and all other council employed tradesmen were currently digging out and thawing water mains up and down the council estates .
It's this kind of thing that rankles and rightly so!
Sorry to ruffle your feathers but I stand by my point .
VM


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[richardbees]

re an earlier Reply.

I worked for an inner london council for a few years and can confirm VictorM - as the Council has a statutory responsibility for Council tenants - also tenants groups have the most influence with Local elections i.e. "squeaking wheel" syndrome.
Also 'a lot' of Council tenants in that borough didn't pay Council tax.....let alone any nominal rent!

 

[MartinL]

No no dear boy !
I'm pointing out the less than level playing field .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .It's this kind of thing that rankles and rightly so!
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
VM

I think that's a first too but,
Don't get me started on this!