Council suspends parakeet shooting consent (From Borehamwood Times)

Hertsmere Borough Council suspends parakeet shooting consent in Borehamwood

1:00pm Thursday 25th August 2011 in News By Josh Darlington

PERMISSION to shoot rare parakeets on public land in Borehamwood has been withdrawn, the council has announced.

The Executive of Hertsmere Borough Council met for a private briefing with officers last night to discuss the consent it gave earlier this year to shoot birds in Allum Lane Spinney and Parkfields.

Monk parakeets are considered a pest by the Government’s environmental body (Defra), which claims they pose a risk to agriculture and electrical infrastructure with their large communal nests.

However, local campaigners have strongly contended the evidence for the culling, which started in Borehamwood in February 2011.

Responding to their concerns and the 1,800 people who have signed a petition calling for the eradication programme to end, the council has rescinded permission for Defra to cull any birds on publically owned land.

A statement from Leader of the Council Morris Bright (Con/Elstree) said: “The Executive believes that there are legitimate concerns around the cull and the way it has been carried out and which necessitate an immediate decision as to its continuance.

“Officers were therefore instructed to advise DEFRA that permission to cull parakeets on Hertsmere land or property is to be withdrawn with immediate effect.

“This will allow the Executive to consider both DEFRA's insistence as to why that the culling needs to take place, as well as its methods for carrying out the cull.

“It will also allow the Council to hear further from campaigners about their concerns and to await answers from DEFRA posed by both the Council and local MP James Clappison.

“Further to that investigation, a report will be brought to the Executive of the Council, when we have had time to investigate the concerns around the cull, DEFRA's reasons for wishing it to continue, and campaigners evidence around the manner in which the cull has been carried out.”

Both DEFRA and campaigners will be invited to speak at an Executive meeting, due to be held on Wednesday, October 5.

Cllr Bright said the report will then act to help advise the Council as to its responses to any potential future requests for culling from DEFRA, should they occur.

Responding to the decision, campaigner Christine Brock said: “I’m absolutely delighted that they have actually taken notice of local residents and that our campaign pressure has had some effect, but I realise this is not the end of it.”

The campaigner, who will continue to oppose operations taking place in private properties in Borehamwood, added: “This could just be a suspension, but we are confident it will be permanent when we face Defra on October 5 and show that their case is so weak.”

Ms Brock and fellow campaigner Simon Richardson handed a petition into Downing Street last weekend, calling on the Government to stop the eradication programme – which has centred on Borehamwood, Isle of Dogs and Southall.

The total number of monk parakeets in the London area is estimated by Defra to be between 78-87 birds.