A COUNCILLOR has welcomed a pledge to tackle a “plague” of rats in a Hampshire community named as the best place to live in England and Wales.

A pest controller removed 16 dead rodents from one property in Valley Park, Chandler’s Ford, and ward councillor Alan Dowden has received 100 complaints about the problem in the past two years.

Now Test Valley council chiefs have admitted there is an issue and have vowed to take action.

Councillor Dowden said: “Rats are a big problem. Valley Park is plagued with them.

“We’ve always had rats but the sightings have become more numerous over the last year or so, and I am pleased that Test Valley is now taking the problem seriously.

“Over the last couple of years I’ve had about 100 complaints about the rats.”

He added that a private pest control officer has removed 16 dead rats from one property at Valley Park.

“They were caught under wooden decking. This guy brought out 16 dead rats. I don’t know whether they were killed in traps or poisoned,” added Mr Dowden, who joked that if rodent numbers weren’t reduced soon the Pied Piper of Hamelin would have to be called in.

Daily Echo: Councillor Alan Dowden.

Cllr Alan Dowden

Test Valley environmental health officers have started work on trying to eradicate the area’s rodent population, including cleaning and tidying areas of public space and laying poisonous bait.

Borough Cabinet spokesman for housing and environment, Councillor Sandra Hawke, said: “We are aware that residents are concerned about rats in Valley Park and are working hard to investigate and respond to the situation.

“Measures will be put in place to help us identify the exact location of the rats, which will allow us to lay more bait in targeted areas.

“It is vital that we are very careful where we lay bait so as not to harm other wildlife, such as mice and voles.

“Any rats are likely to be living in the wooded areas and will enter gardens in search of food. We therefore advise residents to consider removing any potential food sources that will attract rats, such as fallen food from bird-feeders.”

The council will be delivering leaflets to residents in the area which will include tips on the most effective ways to deter rats.

Last month it was revealed that Valley Park, which only started life in the 1980s, was the best place to live in England and Wales because of its low crime rates and residents’ good health and high income.

The research looked at 7,137 areas across England and Wales, examining statistics on crime, household income, health, home ownership, the proportion of residents who are earning.