ONLY a few people in the district have accessed free pest control since it was introduced by the council.

Councillors in Malvern heard this week that 26 people have contacted the council for help dealing with pest control issues since it was introduced earlier this year.

Cllr Kaleem Aksar, who brought the scheme before the council, said: "Give we have a budget of, I think, £10,000 - what further work can we do to encourage those who are eligible to take up the offer of free pest control given there will be far more than 26 cases across the district where we could have helped them."

Responding to Cllr Aksar, council leader Sarah Rouse said she believed more could be done to promote the scheme.

She said: "Every Liberal Democrat leaflet that went out across the district had it on and we put it on our website in accessible form.

"We could speak to Platform Housing and see if they can promote it a bit more too."

We reported earlier this year how the council had agreed to provide help to residents dealing with mice and rats after a notice of motion from Lib Dem councillor Kaleem Aksar.

His motion came up following calls from an elderly Malvern resident for a solution to the problem.

As a result, the council agreed to ensure anyone on the appropriate qualifying benefits could secure pest control free of charge.

Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Rouse said she encouraged more promotion of the scheme.

She said: "The free pest control for those on low incomes has seen a small take up.

"It may be that there is not a great need in Malvern rather then it not being known about.

"I have asked Cllr Aksar to work with Cllrs Natalie Mcvey and Tom Wells to see if there is more that can be done or not."

Have you experienced pest control problems in Malvern? For more information, go to www.malvernhills.gov.uk/environmental-health