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The price for pest control services is set to increase under a new council-approved budget for 2025/26. It comes as the council department responsible for the pest control services looks to save more than a £1 million. Parking costs, planning fees and funeral services are among the other prices expected to rise as a result of the newly approved Directorate of Place council budget.
School meals will also see a two per cent increase in response to corporate guidance on inflation. However, this makes the cost unmanageable from a cash collection perspective. It is therefore proposed that the cost of a school meal increases from £2.
55 to £2.65 from September 2025. A report detailing the charges states that Bolton Council is 'still facing a very difficult financial period' but the proposed budget, which has been approved, is thought to be 'robust'.
A report details the most expensive pests to expel as per the new council-approved budget. (Image: Bolton Council) All pest control services, the report states, will be subject to a four per cent increase from 1 April 2025, to ensure recovery of the pay related inflation elements of the service. A treatment visit and follow-up visit for rats and mice on residential properties will not be affected by the changes and will remain free of charge.
The most expensive pest to expel under the new budget will be squirrels. Daily visits for a week to remove the pests rising to £206.00 from £198.
29. READ MORE: Bolton Council on 'three month wait' for pest control service Bolton: 'Confidence' for 'most optimistic budget report Bolton councillor opposed to more funding for CCTV cameras The costs to remove ants for a one-off treatment will rise from £97.92 to £102.
00 as a result of the increase. A one-off treatment for wasps above gutter height will remain one of the more expensive services and prices are set to rise from £108.94 to £113.
00. Rat and mice infestations in businesses will be charged at £205.00 from £196.
80. Insect removals for businesses will now be priced at £175.00 from £168.
00. Cllr Nadim Muslim of the Bromley Cross ward said: "The Directorate of Place budget is still not enough, despite the position. “When Labour were in opposition, they were always wanting to pass motions at council instructing us to write to Government to ask for more money for local authorities.
Now they’re in government and in control of the council, they don’t want to do that. “Labour made a big deal about free pest control when taking back over and not only did it take over a year to implement, they’re not increasing fees on all but two aspects of pest control. “It’s a question of whether money can be saved by putting these services to the private sector.
I’m conscious that if this is costing the council more money than it produces or money could be diverted into other schemes, the council should look into that.” Nationally, local authority pest control services were called out to 291,132 homes across the UK last year, up three per cent on the year before and an increase of nine per cent on 2022, figures show..
