A letter from the resident of Ross who offered the Town Council £2,500 of his own money to deal with the pigeon population in Wilton Road and Wye Street area of Ross-on-Wye was read out at the meeting on Monday, December 10th, after he discovered that the Council is not accepting his offer.

Geof Lodge is currently suffering from laryngitis so was unable to take a full part in the discussion.

His letter detailed his offer to help with the pigeon cull, and his concern that he understood that the council had accepted his offer made at the last meeting. However he has since been informed that it was not, all that was agreed was that a new section would be added to the Council’s budget for pest control.

The Clerk said: “There seems to be some misunderstanding here. The decision that the Council took was not to contract somebody to cull the pigeons or to take any action at all other than to put the new budget heading for £2,000 for pest control. That was the extent of the decision of the Council, and I have carried out the Council’s wishes in regard to that. Nothing further, nothing less.”

Mr Lodge then moved to stand near to the Mayor and referred to a ‘brief meeting’ he had with the Clerk. As Mr Lodge continued to speak an alarm went off. This was to signify the end of the 15 minute slot, when public participation has to end. Councillor Harry Bramer then asked if there were other people who would like to speak and directed another member of the public to stand, despite the fact that Mr Lodge was still standing.

After the Council debated another issue brought forward by another local resident, Mr Lodge left the room and said: “I feel that I have been very badly treated.”