Banishing gulls from rooftops of Elgin
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Residents in large parts of Elgin will now be able to get seagull nests and eggs removed from the roofs of their homes.
A project trialled in 2019 by Moray Council is being extended to cover Elgin town centre, New Elgin, Ashgrove, Pinefield, Kingsmills and Lesmurdie.
It will continue to the end of the nesting season at the back end of July.
A council spokesperson said: "Licence agreements do not allow for hatched chicks or adults to be removed, only live nests and eggs.
"Therefore, it’s important to notify the contractor immediately as nests begin to be formed."
The scheme covers private homeowners as well as council tenants and those living in housing association properties.
Residents in the eligible areas will be able to notify the council by completing a form available online and sending it to elgingulls@moray.gov.uk
Alternatively, they will be able to call a dedicated phone number for the contractor on 07564 768581.
The work, which will also cover council buildings, some schools and the cemetery on Linkwood Road, is being funded by the Elgin Common Good Fund.
The appointed licensed contractor is the Buckie-based company Specialist Vermin Control.
A clearer version of the map showing eligible areas is available here.
Moray Macleod, the council's acting head of housing and property, said: "The first year trial of this gull control programme in the centre of Elgin was successful, with a reduction in the number of young gulls, so we know it works.
"This year, the programme will be widened to other areas within Elgin and we expect to see marked benefits for residents and users of other non-domestic public facilities.
"It can take up to four or five years for the full benefits to be recognised due to natural behaviours of the gull population.
"Community planning is about public services working together with the community to plan and deliver services that will improve long term outcomes for people.
"This will hopefully make a difference to residents in these areas during the year."
