In the Cumbernauld News article regarding rats in Westfield, Jamie Hepburn was misquoted. I have heard back from Jamie Hepburn’s office and have been told that the article in the Cumbernauld News was a misquote. Jamie did not refer to rats in Westfield but was instead referring to Blackwood. Now it would not surprise me if Blackwood residents were experiencing an increase in the rat population. Many years ago to the east of Blackwood there was a rubbish tip, located around the stadium car park area and as we all know where there is rubbish there is also a haven for rats. Likewise Blackwood is next to the pond and various water courses and where there is water there is usually a higher concentration of rats.
Whether we like them or not, rats are one of Nature’s bin men. Their job is to clear away debris and waste so migrate to areas where this is accumulated: sewers, ponds, rivers, backstreets, rubbish tips, etc. Normally we never see them as they are quite timid creatures preferring the dark and secluded places. However, with the introduction of fortnightly refuse collection we are providing them with a ready meal, a ready meal that will give off a decomposing necrotic scent telegraphing where to come and eat. Unfortunately this will be in people’s back gardens and garages. And as Blackwood, which is a beautiful area, is right next to the rats existing habitat then, as I said, it wouldn’t surprise me if they see an increase in rat population.
There was a recent article in the Cumbernauld News and the last paragraph mentioned a comment by Jamie Hepburn MSP regarding an increase in Rats and vermin within Westfield. The reason cited was the change in North Lanarkshire Council’s refuse Collection Policy to Fortnightly Uplifts. Which is a bit weird as NLC still operate a weekly collection in Westfield. So I asked around and although residents did highlight their fears of an increase in vermin IF the refuse collection changed to fortnightly, no one I asked had experienced an increase as yet. I then contacted Jamie’s Office and they have agreed to look into the history behind the statement. However, they did put forward a possible excuse: Jamie sent out several thousand flyers to Cumbernauld residents and from the received responses there were several that mentioned the possible problem with rats and linking them to the fortnightly uplift of the wheeled bins. Perhaps that is the problem but as we still have the weekly collection then nothing has changed so how the link of rats and Westfield came about we as yet do not know.
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