A WORD of warning for local residents who need the services of Bromsgrove District Council's Pest Control Service (PCS)....it will cost you at least £35, and you may have a long wait.

Three weeks ago I discovered we had a wasps' nest in the roof-space above the garage. I phoned the PCS, and after being held in a queue for about 15 minutes, I left a recorded message, which I was told would be responded to within three working hours.

Your readers will not be too surprised that no reply was received!

A week or so later, with the wasp traffic becoming heavier by the day, I phoned the PCS again and this time got through......only to be told that I had to complete an application form, and the charge would be £35!

It took five days (including the weekend) for the form to arrive. I estimate that, if I had submitted the form, there would have been a whole month between finding the wasps' nest and having it removed.

What if the nest had been in the loft, and the wasps were invading the bedrooms?

Fortunately, I indulged in some self-help, brought the appropriate product from the local store, and destroyed the nest myself (cost £2.29). But this remedy would not be available to the old, infirm, or fearful, and not if the nest was in an inaccessible place.

In the past, the council provided an excellent service. Some years ago I had a wasps' nest in my loft, which was efficiently and promptly removed, at negligible cost (£5, I believe).

Why is it the council, which exists to serve us residents, instead tries to make a profit out of us? I currently pay £1,811.30 p.a. Council Tax, and, with the exception of the waste collection service, I get a pretty poor return for my money.

One more thing - the £35 charge also applies to rats. Until recently, this service was free! This surely means an increase in our rat population, and the risk of disease, as people are deterred from seeking help.

It is one of life's mysteries why today, when our country is apparently so affluent, and taxation, both local and national, is so high, the quality of public services continues to decline.

Peter Collett

Barnt Green