0:00:03 > 0:00:08From waste and recycling to pest control and Trading Standards,
0:00:08 > 0:00:13the taxes that we pay to our local councils are used to provide
0:00:13 > 0:00:15many of our most essential services.
0:00:15 > 0:00:18I like people who are keen to recycle.
0:00:18 > 0:00:21In this series, we follow the frontline staff
0:00:21 > 0:00:25working behind the walls of Tameside Town Hall in Greater Manchester.
0:00:25 > 0:00:30Like council officers across the country, these local heroes
0:00:30 > 0:00:34are waging war on those blighting our communities.
0:00:34 > 0:00:37Oi, oi, oi! Excuse me, love, you can't do that.
0:00:37 > 0:00:39They're protecting us from hidden dangers...
0:00:39 > 0:00:42If there's rodent activity in your kitchen, you won't be opening
0:00:42 > 0:00:43tonight. It's that simple.
0:00:43 > 0:00:46..making sure our cash is spent on those who need it most.
0:00:46 > 0:00:50I'm at a loose end. I do not know where to turn.
0:00:50 > 0:00:58And responding to their residents when they call the council.
0:01:01 > 0:01:05Coming up in today's programme, the council respond to residents
0:01:05 > 0:01:08whose alleyways are full of rotting rubbish.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11When I moved in, it was beautiful.
0:01:11 > 0:01:15An officer gets a scare when helping a householder with a rat problem.
0:01:19 > 0:01:23And the local authority helps a small business with big ambitions.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26I enjoy it. I want to earn money from it,
0:01:26 > 0:01:30and hopefully, eventually earn a living from it.
0:01:39 > 0:01:42The UK's 433 local councils
0:01:42 > 0:01:45are all tasked with spending the public's money
0:01:45 > 0:01:47efficiently and effectively.
0:01:48 > 0:01:51Meeting the needs of taxpayers in Tameside are this
0:01:51 > 0:01:55Greater Manchester Borough's 2,300 staff and enforcement officers,
0:01:55 > 0:01:57who are all ready to respond
0:01:57 > 0:02:00when their residents call the council.
0:02:00 > 0:02:03Environmental services. I'll try the number for you. Just bear with me.
0:02:03 > 0:02:07But it takes a special kind of person to be a council officer.
0:02:07 > 0:02:11The main quality you need to do this job is a thick skin.
0:02:11 > 0:02:15People are sometimes angry and annoyed.
0:02:15 > 0:02:17You've got to let them have their say
0:02:17 > 0:02:19and try not to take it too personally.
0:02:19 > 0:02:23Some do mean it personally, but you've just got to shake it off.
0:02:23 > 0:02:24Let it go.
0:02:26 > 0:02:30Today, Louise is going to need all of her diplomatic skills
0:02:30 > 0:02:33because some residents are not happy.
0:02:33 > 0:02:35There is a lot of rubbish on the street.
0:02:35 > 0:02:38Right outside my back gate gets a lot.
0:02:38 > 0:02:40I don't know what's wrong with that space,
0:02:40 > 0:02:42but loads of people come along and just dump rubbish there.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48A small percentage of people in Tameside are causing
0:02:48 > 0:02:51a big problem for their neighbours.
0:02:51 > 0:02:54It's disgusting. I've seen people throwing sofas, mattresses,
0:02:54 > 0:03:01- bits of wardrobe. Fridges.- We've had rats. There's maggots.
0:03:01 > 0:03:06The smell is horrendous. And you cannot go out.
0:03:06 > 0:03:10These people, they've got no respect for anybody. Not even themselves.
0:03:10 > 0:03:13They're just lazy. Lazy, bone-idle people that can't be bothered
0:03:13 > 0:03:15to put it in the bin.
0:03:17 > 0:03:19And it's not the first time residents in this,
0:03:19 > 0:03:22the Holy Trinity area, have called the council.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27The Holy Trinity area of Ashton, which is a series
0:03:27 > 0:03:30of terraced streets with communal backs,
0:03:30 > 0:03:35over the years I've worked for Tameside, has traditionally been
0:03:35 > 0:03:38quite a difficult area to keep tidy,
0:03:38 > 0:03:42with lots of rubbish being dumped around on street corners
0:03:42 > 0:03:46and very low performing on recycling.
0:03:46 > 0:03:50In 2013, the UK's local councils dealt with
0:03:50 > 0:03:55over 700,000 cases of fly-tipping. Nearly 70% of these involved
0:03:55 > 0:03:58household waste, and it cost us all
0:03:58 > 0:04:00over £36 million to deal with.
0:04:01 > 0:04:04But it's not just outsiders causing the mess here.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07Some locals are failing to use the free bins given to them
0:04:07 > 0:04:09by the council,
0:04:09 > 0:04:13and dumping all kinds of rubbish in all the wrong places.
0:04:13 > 0:04:15The more responsible residents have had enough
0:04:15 > 0:04:17and have called the council.
0:04:17 > 0:04:19When it was covered in snow I took pictures
0:04:19 > 0:04:21of the full lot and sent them into the council.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24Right. We understand that you get a big back like that,
0:04:24 > 0:04:29and you've got probably 80% that are fine. 80% are decent people
0:04:29 > 0:04:31doing their own thing and minding their own business,
0:04:31 > 0:04:34and 20% mess it up for you.
0:04:34 > 0:04:38- What's going on with it?- We're going to do everything we can to try
0:04:38 > 0:04:42- and change it for you.- Thank you.- We don't get magic wands, unfortunately.
0:04:44 > 0:04:49But it's not all bad. Over the past month, Louise
0:04:49 > 0:04:51and her colleague Sharon have been working with residents
0:04:51 > 0:04:55who share one alley in the area and have made significant progress.
0:04:57 > 0:05:01Oh, look at that. Brilliant. Good news all round.
0:05:01 > 0:05:04What is it, about three weeks? Four weeks?
0:05:04 > 0:05:08- Yeah, about four weeks.- Four weeks? I'm very impressed.
0:05:08 > 0:05:13Gotcha. That's a big dog. I don't like leaving it there.
0:05:13 > 0:05:16You get used to doing this when you've got dogs.
0:05:16 > 0:05:20One of the residents who helped clean this alley up is Phil Sowter.
0:05:20 > 0:05:27Hiya. It was just to say, brilliant. It's still clear, isn't it?
0:05:27 > 0:05:30- If you look in the bin, you'll see it all.- Yeah.
0:05:30 > 0:05:31- Slowly working down.- Yeah.
0:05:31 > 0:05:33I'll just keep going round in a circle.
0:05:33 > 0:05:36We just wanted to say thanks again, for all the hard work
0:05:36 > 0:05:37you and the lads put in.
0:05:37 > 0:05:43- I'm keeping on top of it.- Yeah. Okey-dokey.- Thank you.- Ta-ra.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49But even here, there's room for improvement.
0:05:52 > 0:05:54A contaminated green bin.
0:05:54 > 0:05:59It is contaminated, but it's nearly there. It's so nearly there!
0:06:01 > 0:06:04A contaminated bin is waste that's not put in the correct bin.
0:06:04 > 0:06:07It'll probably mean that the wrong type of plastic's been put in.
0:06:07 > 0:06:11We don't actually recycle these egg boxes.
0:06:11 > 0:06:13The way that we look at it is, if it's had liquid in it,
0:06:13 > 0:06:17it goes in the green bin. If it's not, that actually has to go
0:06:17 > 0:06:19in your landfill bin
0:06:19 > 0:06:21rather than your recycling bin.
0:06:21 > 0:06:25- Put them in there.- It could also mean that they've used the recycling bins
0:06:25 > 0:06:26just for a general waste bin.
0:06:26 > 0:06:28So they've not bothered to recycle.
0:06:28 > 0:06:32But until you lift that lid, you don't know whether it's contaminated
0:06:32 > 0:06:36by the wrong plastic, or contaminated by other things.
0:06:38 > 0:06:43Contaminated bins cost the council up to £300 per tonne to dispose of,
0:06:43 > 0:06:46and just one wagon, fully loaded with contaminated waste,
0:06:46 > 0:06:49costs £3,000 to send to landfill.
0:06:50 > 0:06:54- Right.- So to help and encourage residents to clean up the rest of
0:06:54 > 0:06:57this problem area and recycle properly,
0:06:57 > 0:07:01Sharon and Louise are launching a day of education and action.
0:07:01 > 0:07:05We will supply the tools, the litter pickers, the black bags,
0:07:05 > 0:07:08we'll get the rubbish taken away. The schools are involved,
0:07:08 > 0:07:11and people can come and talk to us, and if they've got any problems,
0:07:11 > 0:07:12we'll try and address them.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15And we just have a good day and make sure everything
0:07:15 > 0:07:18is left clean and tidy for them.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21But first, they've got to park the van.
0:07:21 > 0:07:26Anybody who knows me would not dream of putting me in charge of a caravan.
0:07:28 > 0:07:30I can drive my car, I've a nice, clean licence.
0:07:30 > 0:07:33I've had it for many, many years. Nice and shiny and clean.
0:07:33 > 0:07:35No speeding tickets, no nothing.
0:07:35 > 0:07:39But that's probably because I stay away from towing caravans!
0:07:41 > 0:07:43Sensibly, Louise leaves parking up
0:07:43 > 0:07:46and putting out the various recycling bins
0:07:46 > 0:07:48to her council colleagues.
0:07:48 > 0:07:51They've got to look attractive, you see.
0:07:51 > 0:07:53Hopefully someone will take them away.
0:07:53 > 0:07:55Right. Let's get this show on the road.
0:07:56 > 0:08:00Recently, some councils have started to charge residents
0:08:00 > 0:08:03who call them for a new wheelie bin. But Louise has ordered a truckload
0:08:03 > 0:08:07of free ones and some food caddies for locals here to collect.
0:08:07 > 0:08:08It's first come, first served
0:08:08 > 0:08:12and the demand is taking Louise by surprise.
0:08:12 > 0:08:13I don't know where I'm up to!
0:08:13 > 0:08:15People just appeared from everywhere.
0:08:15 > 0:08:19But I like that. That's keen. I like people who are keen to recycle.
0:08:19 > 0:08:21So you know when to put it out?
0:08:23 > 0:08:27If somebody else asks me a question, I think I'm going to pop.
0:08:27 > 0:08:31- OK? You have to hold it by that. - All right, thank you.- Bye.
0:08:31 > 0:08:35I may just climb into this bin and stay there.
0:08:35 > 0:08:38I'll have to put you on a list for the blue, cos we've run out.
0:08:38 > 0:08:40Hang on a minute.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43Right. We are officially out of bins.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48With the area cleaned up and bins distributed,
0:08:48 > 0:08:52the residents should have no excuses when it comes to recycling properly
0:08:52 > 0:08:55and keeping their streets rubbish-free.
0:08:55 > 0:08:57- Give me a big smile. - ALL: Cheese!
0:08:57 > 0:08:58Excellent.
0:08:58 > 0:09:01We want this to be a clean, safe, attractive borough
0:09:01 > 0:09:05that people want to live in, want to visit.
0:09:05 > 0:09:08And all that comes from it being clean and attractive.
0:09:09 > 0:09:11I've got high hopes for the whole area.
0:09:20 > 0:09:23Coming up, Louise is shocked into action as one resident
0:09:23 > 0:09:27threatens to undo all her hard work.
0:09:27 > 0:09:31Oi, oi, oi! Excuse me, love. You can't do that.
0:09:40 > 0:09:43While Louise and her colleagues are out on the road,
0:09:43 > 0:09:46like councils across the country, a dedicated team is on hand
0:09:46 > 0:09:49at the town hall to help residents any way they can.
0:09:49 > 0:09:52Good morning, customer services. Cassie speaking.
0:09:52 > 0:09:57Council call centres nationwide deal with over 50 million calls a year,
0:09:57 > 0:10:00but sometimes residents who call the council
0:10:00 > 0:10:03expect a little more of it than perhaps they should.
0:10:03 > 0:10:05'You get asked obscure things,'
0:10:05 > 0:10:08and you think, "Why are you asking the council?"
0:10:08 > 0:10:10It's one of those things, isn't it?
0:10:10 > 0:10:12People think the council deals with everything
0:10:12 > 0:10:14cos they pay their council tax.
0:10:14 > 0:10:16Unfortunately, it's not everything that we deal with.
0:10:16 > 0:10:19We don't deal with the train times, we don't deal with the bus times.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22You know, I don't know why your Sky dish isn't working.
0:10:22 > 0:10:24I haven't got a clue, I'm sorry.
0:10:24 > 0:10:26OK, what seems to be the problem?
0:10:26 > 0:10:30'When I first started, this lady phoned. She wanted pest control,'
0:10:30 > 0:10:32'so I was asking her the questions.'
0:10:32 > 0:10:35Where are the noises coming from? What are you hearing?
0:10:35 > 0:10:37What do you think it is?
0:10:37 > 0:10:39She was a bit reluctant to tell me
0:10:39 > 0:10:42what she actually thought the pest was. So I asked her again,
0:10:42 > 0:10:46and she tells me that she thinks the house is haunted.
0:10:46 > 0:10:49'So I say, "You are aware you're asking for pest control?"
0:10:49 > 0:10:52'And she goes, "I really don't know who else to ring."'
0:10:52 > 0:10:54It's pest control, you know? It's a chargeable service.
0:10:54 > 0:10:58I can send a job through but you're not going to get the result
0:10:58 > 0:11:02that you want here. I think you need to speak to somebody else.
0:11:02 > 0:11:04But, yeah, it put a smile on my face.
0:11:14 > 0:11:18Estimates suggest that there are around 10 million rats in the UK
0:11:18 > 0:11:21and in recent years, with winters getting warmer
0:11:21 > 0:11:23and people getting more careless with their waste,
0:11:23 > 0:11:26reports of rodents near our homes have been on the rise.
0:11:26 > 0:11:30I'll put you through to the pest control department. Thank you.
0:11:30 > 0:11:32Tameside Council alone
0:11:32 > 0:11:35deals with over 1,500 pest-related calls every year,
0:11:35 > 0:11:39and it's pest control officer Brian Wheelan's job to deal with them.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42- See you later.- See you later, Brian.
0:11:42 > 0:11:44It doesn't matter whether it's a mouse, whether it's a rat,
0:11:44 > 0:11:48it doesn't matter to me. Or a squirrel. It doesn't matter to me.
0:11:48 > 0:11:50I'll be the winner in the end.
0:11:50 > 0:11:55Today, Brian and his assistant Geoff Dale are responding to a cry
0:11:55 > 0:11:57for help from a worried resident.
0:11:57 > 0:12:00Rats have moved into her row of bungalows
0:12:00 > 0:12:02and she's called the council.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05Right. Today we've got three properties here. They've got
0:12:05 > 0:12:07a rat problem in the loft.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11So we'll have a look, do some baiting, Geoff will...
0:12:11 > 0:12:14Will you get the ladders out, mate, as well?
0:12:14 > 0:12:16And I'll get the bag with the torch.
0:12:18 > 0:12:21Rats are a major hazard to public health.
0:12:21 > 0:12:22They carry infectious diseases
0:12:22 > 0:12:24like listeria and salmonella,
0:12:24 > 0:12:29which can be seriously harmful to humans. And as their numbers grow,
0:12:29 > 0:12:30pest control officers like Brian
0:12:30 > 0:12:33are facing an uphill battle to control them.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38Right, this chap said he'd seen a rat dropping down from here.
0:12:41 > 0:12:46- Seen a rat there? - If you look, it does make sense,
0:12:46 > 0:12:50- cos it would just go straight back up into the loft.- Yeah.
0:12:51 > 0:12:55Broken fascias like this and other gaps in walls should be sealed,
0:12:55 > 0:12:58because they offer rats an easy route into the warmth
0:12:58 > 0:13:00of your house and loft.
0:13:00 > 0:13:03Using drains, downpipes and gutters as climbing frames,
0:13:03 > 0:13:07they can squeeze through spaces just two centimetres wide.
0:13:08 > 0:13:10Brian needs to get inside the loft quickly,
0:13:10 > 0:13:13and search for further signs of rodent activity.
0:13:13 > 0:13:15I can't see any live ones at the moment.
0:13:15 > 0:13:18I'll have to get in and have a look even more.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23Just like rats, Brian's also acquired the skill
0:13:23 > 0:13:26of squeezing into the smallest of spaces.
0:13:26 > 0:13:31I am a tallish lad. Problem is, I won't give up,
0:13:31 > 0:13:34I'll do my best to get in anywhere for anybody,
0:13:34 > 0:13:37try and help them out. At the end of the day they've got a problem,
0:13:37 > 0:13:39and it needs sorting.
0:13:39 > 0:13:43Brian's looking for any telltale signs. Brown spindly rat droppings,
0:13:43 > 0:13:46which can be up to two centimetres long.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49Rats, when they get into the cavity of the wall,
0:13:49 > 0:13:52they normally head to the loft because it's warm.
0:13:52 > 0:13:56There's insulation there. They're not stupid. They're not daft.
0:13:56 > 0:13:58They're quite clever animals.
0:14:00 > 0:14:03Sometimes you have to think like them and work it out.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07You can see how all the insulation has been ragged
0:14:07 > 0:14:11and chucked up. Virtually all over this loft, they've done it.
0:14:12 > 0:14:14There's a dropping there.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17Can you throw us up six bags and the Neosorexa, Geoff, please?
0:14:17 > 0:14:19Yeah, Brian.
0:14:19 > 0:14:23- Brian's using a ready-made mix of food and poison.- You're a gent.
0:14:23 > 0:14:25It's the most effective way
0:14:25 > 0:14:27of ridding a property like this of rats.
0:14:28 > 0:14:32Once they eat the mixture, the rats will die within ten days.
0:14:32 > 0:14:35The problem you have, cos the loft, even though you've got
0:14:35 > 0:14:38the insulation of the loft and everything, they get underneath.
0:14:38 > 0:14:40And it sounds like they've got hobnail boots on
0:14:40 > 0:14:42when they're scurrying around.
0:14:42 > 0:14:45But it echoes because it's hollow in the loft as well.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48And you try and explain it, and no matter what you say,
0:14:48 > 0:14:50when people are frightened, they're frightened.
0:14:50 > 0:14:52You can have a laugh and a joke with them,
0:14:52 > 0:14:55but it's still in their mind and it's still a problem.
0:14:57 > 0:15:01Poison laid, it won't be long before this rat meets its maker.
0:15:01 > 0:15:03But there are others outside.
0:15:04 > 0:15:07I'm concerned about this area here.
0:15:07 > 0:15:09If Brian can locate the rats' food source,
0:15:09 > 0:15:14he'll have a better chance of catching his prey.
0:15:14 > 0:15:16It makes sense that they're going for the food there.
0:15:16 > 0:15:18So he follows his nose.
0:15:18 > 0:15:21Let's have another look in this bin.
0:15:26 > 0:15:28There's one!
0:15:29 > 0:15:31The rat's been dining on leftovers,
0:15:31 > 0:15:36but now it's trapped, it looks like it might have had its last supper.
0:15:37 > 0:15:40I tell you what, hold that. Hold that.
0:15:42 > 0:15:45I'm just going to nip to the back of my van.
0:15:45 > 0:15:48Time for Brian to do the job he's trained for.
0:16:04 > 0:16:07I wouldn't say it was satisfying to kill it.
0:16:07 > 0:16:09It's more of a joy that you've got it, and it's killed.
0:16:09 > 0:16:13I mean, cos you'll always get some people saying that it's wrong.
0:16:13 > 0:16:16You know, "Why are you killing it?" and all that.
0:16:16 > 0:16:18But at the end of the day, they're vermin and they spread diseases.
0:16:18 > 0:16:20Put that back in the van, mate.
0:16:20 > 0:16:21'We all do a job,
0:16:21 > 0:16:23'and at the end of it, there's an end result.'
0:16:23 > 0:16:27And there always will be an end result. And that is death.
0:16:27 > 0:16:29Simple as.
0:16:29 > 0:16:31Rats reproduce quickly.
0:16:31 > 0:16:35They can have as many as seven litters of up to 12 babies a year.
0:16:35 > 0:16:39That's a maximum of 84 inside 12 months.
0:16:39 > 0:16:42So Brian may never eliminate the rat population of Tameside,
0:16:42 > 0:16:46but today, at least, he's relieved one resident's worry and gone
0:16:46 > 0:16:50some way to controlling the spread of disease in this neighbourhood.
0:16:58 > 0:17:01It's been six weeks since Louise and Sharon spent a day,
0:17:01 > 0:17:04and some of the council's valuable resources,
0:17:04 > 0:17:07helping residents clean up their streets and alley ways.
0:17:07 > 0:17:11They've returned today to see if the area has stayed clean.
0:17:13 > 0:17:19- Oh.- Oh, dear. I'm really disappointed, that's terrible.
0:17:19 > 0:17:21Communities don't take responsibility
0:17:21 > 0:17:22for their own rubbish.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25I think it's the climate that we live in at the moment.
0:17:25 > 0:17:27Someone will come out and just dump a bag
0:17:27 > 0:17:29in the middle of the road and think that that's acceptable.
0:17:29 > 0:17:33I think it's a generic thing, it's an education thing.
0:17:33 > 0:17:36We have a small minority that will come out
0:17:36 > 0:17:38and they'll just think it's the council's responsibility,
0:17:38 > 0:17:42or somebody else's responsibility, to clear that area up.
0:17:42 > 0:17:46Despite the council's help and advice, some residents have chosen
0:17:46 > 0:17:49to dump their waste in the shared alleyway.
0:17:49 > 0:17:51The rotting rubbish is smelly, unsightly
0:17:51 > 0:17:53and a risk to public health.
0:17:53 > 0:17:55It's a haven for disease-ridden rats
0:17:55 > 0:17:58and could harbour hazardous materials.
0:17:58 > 0:18:00Well, we're out of options now.
0:18:00 > 0:18:04We're gonna have to use the Public Health Act 1936.
0:18:04 > 0:18:06Section 78 of that act allows us
0:18:06 > 0:18:11to give notice to everybody that the work needs doing,
0:18:11 > 0:18:13that the area needs cleaning up.
0:18:13 > 0:18:17And to give them notice to do it within seven days,
0:18:17 > 0:18:21with the intention that if they don't do it, we will,
0:18:21 > 0:18:23and we'll split the cost been the number of properties
0:18:23 > 0:18:26that actually have access onto this common area.
0:18:27 > 0:18:33In 2012, local authorities carried out over 425,000
0:18:33 > 0:18:35enforcement actions against fly-tippers,
0:18:35 > 0:18:39costing us taxpayers an estimated £15 million.
0:18:40 > 0:18:44It's been an ongoing problem in this area, and it's not the first time
0:18:44 > 0:18:48residents like Diane have needed the council's help.
0:18:48 > 0:18:51- Isn't it a mess?- Yeah. - It's unbelievable.
0:18:51 > 0:18:55I've worked here now 36 years, and I must have been here 20 times.
0:18:55 > 0:18:58I'm fed up with it. When I moved in, it was beautiful.
0:18:58 > 0:19:03And the thing is, as you say, it WAS beautiful. And it's one of those,
0:19:03 > 0:19:07- that we don't come and dump it here.- I don't.- No.
0:19:07 > 0:19:10Although illegal dumping of waste is one of the most visible
0:19:10 > 0:19:14of crimes, it's rare that anyone is caught red-handed.
0:19:15 > 0:19:18Oi, oi, oi! Excuse me, love, you can't do that.
0:19:18 > 0:19:22You cannot do that. Which property are you from? Excuse me.
0:19:23 > 0:19:26The culprit's disregard for her neighbours and the law
0:19:26 > 0:19:29shocks Sharon and Louise into action.
0:19:29 > 0:19:32In all the time I've done the job, that's probably only the third time
0:19:32 > 0:19:35I've actually caught somebody red-handed.
0:19:35 > 0:19:38Much to Louise's delight.
0:19:39 > 0:19:41I thought she was going to have a heart attack!
0:19:41 > 0:19:46- Hiya. I'm from Tameside Council.- OK. - I'm an enforcement officer.
0:19:46 > 0:19:50We're looking at the problem with the rubbish at the back of the house.
0:19:50 > 0:19:55This lady, she's just tipping it out, loose waste, into the back.
0:19:55 > 0:19:57Obviously that's not acceptable behaviour,
0:19:57 > 0:19:59not at all, under any circumstances.
0:19:59 > 0:20:03I mean, that actually could be classed as fly-tipping.
0:20:03 > 0:20:06- It's what we're trying to stop. - You are 100% right.
0:20:06 > 0:20:09WOMAN SPEAKS IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE
0:20:09 > 0:20:12She said there was nothing in the bag,
0:20:12 > 0:20:14just small pieces of sweets.
0:20:14 > 0:20:17Myself, my colleague, actually witnessed it when it happened,
0:20:17 > 0:20:19so I'm afraid it's beyond denial.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22With the woman denying being a fly-tipper,
0:20:22 > 0:20:25it's up to Sharon and Louise to find evidence to prove it.
0:20:25 > 0:20:28The cheeky mare! She actually denied it!
0:20:28 > 0:20:31It just makes me more determined to find something now.
0:20:32 > 0:20:36With the help of resident Diane, the officers need to trawl
0:20:36 > 0:20:39the trash for any rubbish with names or addresses on.
0:20:39 > 0:20:43- There you go.- Oh, thank you.
0:20:43 > 0:20:44This will help them prove
0:20:44 > 0:20:47precisely who's responsible for causing all the mess.
0:20:47 > 0:20:51I've never caught anyone in the act. Never.
0:20:51 > 0:20:55In all the years I've been doing it, I've never actually been stood there
0:20:55 > 0:20:57when somebody's done that.
0:20:58 > 0:21:02I feel my northern coming out then, "Hey up!"
0:21:02 > 0:21:03Thank you, love.
0:21:04 > 0:21:09To avoid us putting our hands in we always wear touch gloves.
0:21:09 > 0:21:13To help us with that, we use big screwdrivers, long screwdrivers,
0:21:13 > 0:21:16and rip the rubbish apart with those.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19And use those really as finger extensions,
0:21:19 > 0:21:21and sort things out from there.
0:21:21 > 0:21:24If you can stop your husband from pinching them off you
0:21:24 > 0:21:27every five minutes! I'm always having to go and root for them again.
0:21:27 > 0:21:32Sharon. I need you to photograph this. And there's one here.
0:21:32 > 0:21:33From next door.
0:21:33 > 0:21:38We'll take photographs of stuff. If it's filthy, we won't keep it.
0:21:38 > 0:21:39Because we used to get told off
0:21:39 > 0:21:42for leaving evidence drying on tops of radiators,
0:21:42 > 0:21:44and stinking the office out.
0:21:44 > 0:21:45What's all this food waste?
0:21:47 > 0:21:53It's like a supermarket for rats. All this food is recyclable.
0:21:54 > 0:22:01What's this? Half the address. It's just got the postcode on that.
0:22:01 > 0:22:05It is a grim job. But I like the investigation side of things.
0:22:05 > 0:22:08I like finding out why people have done what they've done.
0:22:08 > 0:22:10God, I hate spiders!
0:22:12 > 0:22:18I don't like them at all. I'll do it, because I have to be brave.
0:22:18 > 0:22:21Somebody has to be brave.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24But I don't like doing it. It's just papers, that.
0:22:24 > 0:22:28But again, that can all go in recycling.
0:22:28 > 0:22:33But that's a needle, from some sort of medication.
0:22:33 > 0:22:36For ourselves, the people that end up clearing this,
0:22:36 > 0:22:38in default, it's dangerous.
0:22:38 > 0:22:42Is there any label on it? Let's move it over a bit.
0:22:43 > 0:22:46Any hard evidence proves difficult to find,
0:22:46 > 0:22:49and a thorough search is ultimately fruitless.
0:22:49 > 0:22:53I was a bit disappointed that there was no evidence
0:22:53 > 0:22:59from the house that the Asian lady was witnessed tipping from.
0:22:59 > 0:23:03Nothing hard and fast. I saw her tipping out the contents of a bag
0:23:03 > 0:23:08but I didn't actually see what it was. And because I can't identify it
0:23:08 > 0:23:13in amongst that waste and say, "I saw this lady deposit this,
0:23:13 > 0:23:17"and this and this and this," as red-handed as she was,
0:23:17 > 0:23:22we've got to be proportionate in the action that we take.
0:23:25 > 0:23:26I need to get rid of it,
0:23:26 > 0:23:29especially with there being medical waste there.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32I think it needs to go sooner rather than later.
0:23:32 > 0:23:34So that'll be something that I'll do as a priority
0:23:34 > 0:23:36when I get back to the office.
0:23:36 > 0:23:39Now it's up to the council to clear the waste that should have been
0:23:39 > 0:23:43recycled or taken to the tip. But the bill will be sent to all of the
0:23:43 > 0:23:47residents who back onto the alley, whether they use, or abuse it.
0:23:57 > 0:23:59As well as keeping us, the public,
0:23:59 > 0:24:03free from food poisoning by enforcing high standards
0:24:03 > 0:24:05across the nation's restaurants and takeaways,
0:24:05 > 0:24:08local councils like to support residents
0:24:08 > 0:24:10who want to better themselves.
0:24:10 > 0:24:14Wendi Przewoznik wants to join the self-employment revolution.
0:24:14 > 0:24:19360,000 people became their own boss in the last five years,
0:24:19 > 0:24:22taking the UK's total to 4.2 million.
0:24:22 > 0:24:26I've been a hairdresser for 38 years now,
0:24:26 > 0:24:29and I think as I'm getting older, it's getting harder,
0:24:29 > 0:24:31and it's really for younger people.
0:24:31 > 0:24:38And I'm thinking of a change of direction. My passion is baking.
0:24:38 > 0:24:41And I would like to go more into that.
0:24:41 > 0:24:44Wendi sells her home-made cakes at the local market,
0:24:44 > 0:24:47but dreams of something bigger.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50I've started doing a stall on Sundays,
0:24:50 > 0:24:53and I want to expand my business.
0:24:53 > 0:24:57I don't want to just sell a slice of cake, and just say "Enjoy it."
0:24:57 > 0:24:59I want to earn money from it,
0:24:59 > 0:25:02and, hopefully, eventually earn a living from it.
0:25:02 > 0:25:07Wendi's called council officer Simon Ashton and told him about her plans.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10Even small businesses operating from home need to fulfil
0:25:10 > 0:25:14stringent guidelines, and resolving any issues at this early stage
0:25:14 > 0:25:18will save the council time and the public money in the long run.
0:25:18 > 0:25:22Simon's task is to assess Wendi's kitchen, working practices
0:25:22 > 0:25:26and understanding of food safety to give her a hygiene rating
0:25:26 > 0:25:28from zero to five.
0:25:28 > 0:25:32The national food hygiene ratings scheme was brought in
0:25:32 > 0:25:34several years ago, and it's there really to allow customers
0:25:34 > 0:25:37to make informed choices about where they shop.
0:25:37 > 0:25:39In terms of food safety, really.
0:25:39 > 0:25:42Businesses that are operating to a good standard,
0:25:42 > 0:25:44have got good practices in place,
0:25:44 > 0:25:46are complying with food safety legislation,
0:25:46 > 0:25:49they're likely to be getting maybe a four or a five,
0:25:49 > 0:25:50and then the ones that are not so good,
0:25:50 > 0:25:53where things might be significant problems,
0:25:53 > 0:25:56they could be picking up a zero rating, a one or a two.
0:25:56 > 0:25:59- Hello.- Simon Ashton from Environmental Health.- Hi, Simon.
0:25:59 > 0:26:02I've been expecting you. Nice to meet you. I'm Wendi.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05- Hello.- Would you like to come through?- Yes, certainly.
0:26:05 > 0:26:07'What it doesn't tell you is about the quality of the food,
0:26:07 > 0:26:09'that's a completely separate issue.'
0:26:09 > 0:26:11We're not Gordon Ramsays going in there,
0:26:11 > 0:26:14telling them how to cook food or anything.
0:26:14 > 0:26:16It's purely about food safety.
0:26:16 > 0:26:19A good rating for Wendi will be the perfect kick-start
0:26:19 > 0:26:23to her business, instilling confidence in prospective customers.
0:26:26 > 0:26:28Right. OK. So...
0:26:28 > 0:26:32- So, this is the kitchen.- Yep.- This is where I put the flour, the sugar.
0:26:32 > 0:26:36Right. And it's all kept in containers, out of the packaging.
0:26:36 > 0:26:39- Yes.- That's fine. That's the thing. You don't want to be leaving
0:26:39 > 0:26:42- packets open.- No.- There's always the danger of a creepy-crawly
0:26:42 > 0:26:45making its way in there. I've seen that in the past.
0:26:45 > 0:26:47I think first of all, some people are surprised
0:26:47 > 0:26:50that you can run a commercial food business from a domestic house,
0:26:50 > 0:26:52a domestic property.
0:26:52 > 0:26:56You can do and obviously there are guidelines that they must follow,
0:26:56 > 0:26:59but the things I'm looking at there... What's the chances of
0:26:59 > 0:27:03maybe something dropping into the food? Foreign body contamination.
0:27:03 > 0:27:06- OK. Do you have any pets or anything?- No.- So there's no dogs
0:27:06 > 0:27:09running in here or cats walking across worktops
0:27:09 > 0:27:11- or anything like that? - No.- No? OK. That's fine.
0:27:11 > 0:27:16I've been to businesses where they're busy telling you,
0:27:16 > 0:27:19"Everything's wonderful here," and then you turn around
0:27:19 > 0:27:22and there's a cat walking across the worktop. I've seen that before.
0:27:22 > 0:27:24I'm happy with the kitchen facilities.
0:27:24 > 0:27:28What I would like to see now is you actually making cakes
0:27:28 > 0:27:30in the kitchen.
0:27:30 > 0:27:32The kitchen's passed Simon's test,
0:27:32 > 0:27:36but now he needs to see Wendi's hygiene regime in practice.
0:27:36 > 0:27:38OK. So, what are we making today, then?
0:27:38 > 0:27:43- Today, it's vanilla sponge.- Right. - Like a Victoria sponge...- Right.
0:27:43 > 0:27:45..with Madagascan vanilla and home-made jam.
0:27:45 > 0:27:50I might pick up some tips here actually. I'm not very good in the kitchen.
0:27:50 > 0:27:54I can wash up and do beans on toast, but that's about it, really.
0:27:54 > 0:27:57'I do some cooking, but not a lot, to be honest.'
0:27:57 > 0:27:59I can do the basics.
0:27:59 > 0:28:01So, that's flour, butter...
0:28:04 > 0:28:07I take it you've been watching The Great British Bake Off?
0:28:07 > 0:28:11I have, but it's a bit scary, isn't it, all that pressure?
0:28:11 > 0:28:14I'd rather just make it and people love it.
0:28:14 > 0:28:18- My wife's been watching it. - Has she? Is she a good cook?
0:28:18 > 0:28:21Oh, yes. Definitely. Got to say that, haven't I?
0:28:21 > 0:28:24- There would be trouble.- Yeah.
0:28:25 > 0:28:28Both working for Tameside Council.
0:28:28 > 0:28:32- Oh, right?- 20 years ago now, we actually met at a leaving do.
0:28:32 > 0:28:34- Oh, did you?- Yeah.- Gosh.
0:28:34 > 0:28:40- He was dancing with a colleague of mine...- Was I?- Yes.
0:28:40 > 0:28:44..and she was fed up of him, so she palmed him off on me,
0:28:44 > 0:28:45cos he'd had a few.
0:28:47 > 0:28:49- Thanks.- That's the truth.
0:28:50 > 0:28:53And the rest, they say, is history.
0:28:55 > 0:28:59I know what you saw in me. Well, it's a few years ago.
0:28:59 > 0:29:01HE LAUGHS
0:29:01 > 0:29:04Will you stop it? You're getting me embarrassed now.
0:29:06 > 0:29:10- I'm outgoing, he isn't.- Rubbish!
0:29:12 > 0:29:15- I'm generous, he isn't. - No, that's true.
0:29:19 > 0:29:21He's bald, I'm not.
0:29:21 > 0:29:24I don't know. No, we do have a lot in common, really, don't we?
0:29:24 > 0:29:28- Yeah.- The same values, really.- Yeah.
0:29:28 > 0:29:30I'm going to make a noise.
0:29:33 > 0:29:38We're still married. We've not killed each other.
0:29:38 > 0:29:40Right, Simon. That's going to be about 40 minutes now.
0:29:40 > 0:29:43Would you like a slice with a coffee when it's ready?
0:29:43 > 0:29:47- No.- Can't you have any? - No, we never do.
0:29:47 > 0:29:49- Why?- We always get offered cups of tea and stuff like that
0:29:49 > 0:29:53and we always say no. Because of the job we do, really, we never take...
0:29:53 > 0:29:57- What, you're not allowed to put weight on? - Well, I've put enough on already!
0:29:59 > 0:30:04With sponge in the oven, Simon gets down to Wendi's hygiene rating.
0:30:04 > 0:30:07While a good score could help launch her business,
0:30:07 > 0:30:10a bad one might put a dent in her dreams.
0:30:11 > 0:30:16Don't know. Still a bit nervous, really. I hope it went well.
0:30:16 > 0:30:21I did everything that I do whether Simon was here or not so...
0:30:21 > 0:30:25If I haven't got five, then I'd like to aim for five,
0:30:25 > 0:30:28but I don't want any less.
0:30:28 > 0:30:30I want to do it properly and I want to do it well.
0:30:32 > 0:30:36OK. I've done the paperwork now for the inspection.
0:30:36 > 0:30:39It's that time. I'll just go through it with you.
0:30:39 > 0:30:42- You've never had a food hygiene inspection before, have you?- No.
0:30:42 > 0:30:46- It is a bit nerve-racking.- New to all of this.- I'm not sure what happens. - Don't worry.
0:30:46 > 0:30:49There's these three areas. We look at the practices, we look at structure
0:30:49 > 0:30:52and we look at confidence in management. Are we confident that
0:30:52 > 0:30:56- you can produce a safe product? - Right.- I've scored you very well, actually.
0:30:56 > 0:31:01- Your overall rating after today is a five, which is the best. - Thank you.
0:31:01 > 0:31:04So, all I need you to do now is to sign my inspection form and date it.
0:31:04 > 0:31:05That would be great.
0:31:05 > 0:31:09'I'm elated. I did what I always do
0:31:09 > 0:31:11'and I've got the highest points for it'
0:31:11 > 0:31:15and I'm doing exactly what I do every time I make a cake,
0:31:15 > 0:31:17so it's wonderful. Lovely feeling.
0:31:17 > 0:31:19I'm pleased and I hope it goes really well.
0:31:19 > 0:31:23- Thank you.- Let's hope it takes off...- We'll see! - ..and you have lots of customers.
0:31:23 > 0:31:25All right.
0:31:25 > 0:31:28- OK, then. Thank you very much. - Bye-bye. You're welcome. Goodbye.
0:31:31 > 0:31:33I'm pleased with that. It was a good inspection.
0:31:33 > 0:31:36It is nice when you see businesses setting up
0:31:36 > 0:31:38and you help them to get going and you see them
0:31:38 > 0:31:41actually go on to do really well.
0:31:41 > 0:31:43It's nice to see that, really.
0:31:45 > 0:31:49- What's your kitchen like?- It's OK.
0:31:49 > 0:31:53It would be a lot better if Louise didn't keep messing it up.
0:31:53 > 0:31:55- He's cheeky.- When she cooks something, she has to get
0:31:55 > 0:31:58every pot and pan out.
0:31:58 > 0:32:03Then somebody's got to clean those items and it's down to me normally.
0:32:03 > 0:32:07Do you know...?! He has a nerve.
0:32:07 > 0:32:09Then we've got a daughter who makes herself a sandwich
0:32:09 > 0:32:13- and just leaves everything out, doesn't she? - I agree with him on that.
0:32:13 > 0:32:16He's got a nerve. We have a dishwasher.
0:32:16 > 0:32:17- We have a dishwasher.- That's me.
0:32:17 > 0:32:20No, you're too tight to put the dishwasher on.
0:32:26 > 0:32:30The UK's taxpaying residents rely on their local councils
0:32:30 > 0:32:33for many of their most essential services.
0:32:33 > 0:32:36So it's vital that council officers know their way around
0:32:36 > 0:32:40and can respond to their residents' cries for help quickly.
0:32:41 > 0:32:44I'm really good at finding places, cos for years I've used the A-Z.
0:32:44 > 0:32:47If I'm going anywhere, I look in the A-Z and I go,
0:32:47 > 0:32:51"Ah, yeah, I can cut across here, cut across there."
0:32:51 > 0:32:54A concerned resident has called the council about a rat
0:32:54 > 0:32:55in her garden shed.
0:32:55 > 0:32:59If Brian's going to catch it, he needs to get to there fast.
0:32:59 > 0:33:02I don't have a sat nav cos it's only a little area.
0:33:02 > 0:33:06Well, it's not a little area. You've got Tameside and, to be honest with you,
0:33:06 > 0:33:09the old-fashioned way is just look in this and look at the A-Z,
0:33:09 > 0:33:13find the grid reference and then I'm on my way.
0:33:13 > 0:33:16I just swear that the old-fashioned way's the best and as it happens...
0:33:16 > 0:33:18I can't find this address in here!
0:33:18 > 0:33:20It's doing my head in now.
0:33:20 > 0:33:25Frustrated and late, it's not long before Luddite Brian
0:33:25 > 0:33:27surrenders his principles.
0:33:27 > 0:33:31"Maps would like to use your current location."
0:33:31 > 0:33:33Bobbins.
0:33:34 > 0:33:36No. Can't find it.
0:33:36 > 0:33:38Even modern technology...
0:33:38 > 0:33:39I'll just have to ring her.
0:33:42 > 0:33:46Hi, darling. It's Brian from Tameside pest control.
0:33:46 > 0:33:51Can you tell me whereabouts in Longdendale you are, cos I can't find you on the map?
0:33:51 > 0:33:54Right. And turn right after the hairdresser's?
0:33:54 > 0:33:56No problem. No problem.
0:33:56 > 0:34:01Bye. Bye. See? Don't need sat nav.
0:34:01 > 0:34:04Communication with the customer has got me there,
0:34:04 > 0:34:08so I'll head that way now. See, you don't need a sat nav.
0:34:08 > 0:34:11I'll get us there in 15 minutes. No problem.
0:34:18 > 0:34:22Half an hour later, Brian still hasn't found his destination...
0:34:25 > 0:34:28..and decides to continue his journey on foot.
0:34:28 > 0:34:31She says you have to walk down a lane.
0:34:31 > 0:34:34Let's go back up. See if it's back up that way.
0:34:34 > 0:34:37She told me here and then she said, "Ring me when you get here
0:34:37 > 0:34:40"and I'll come and meet you."
0:34:40 > 0:34:43Easier said than done when there's no signal on your phone.
0:34:44 > 0:34:47Eventually, Brian strikes lucky.
0:34:47 > 0:34:49Am I good?!
0:34:52 > 0:34:54But a 15-minute journey has taken him 45.
0:34:57 > 0:35:01With the location found, Brian prepares for his latest rat hunt.
0:35:04 > 0:35:08I'm going to go in and see whether there's any knocking about...
0:35:08 > 0:35:10and hopefully...
0:35:13 > 0:35:15..we might see some live ones.
0:35:20 > 0:35:23Oh, it's going to be one of them days.
0:35:23 > 0:35:26Brian needs all his specialist equipment to ensure
0:35:26 > 0:35:28he's prepared for any eventuality.
0:35:32 > 0:35:37This is what the lady was cleaning up at the weekend in there.
0:35:37 > 0:35:39The rats had made a nest...
0:35:43 > 0:35:45..in this trolley.
0:35:49 > 0:35:51You can see the remains of it there in the head.
0:35:52 > 0:35:55There. Part of its nest.
0:35:56 > 0:35:59The rat's nest might have been removed from the shed,
0:35:59 > 0:36:03but the rodent itself could still be lurking inside.
0:36:03 > 0:36:05As you can see...
0:36:05 > 0:36:07..a rat would get under there no problem.
0:36:09 > 0:36:11Coming up...
0:36:11 > 0:36:15even brave Brian gets a fright ferreting for rats...
0:36:16 > 0:36:18Whoa! See all the droppings?
0:36:23 > 0:36:27On the other side of the borough, officer Sharon Campbell is back
0:36:27 > 0:36:30on territory that's become far too familiar.
0:36:30 > 0:36:34She's returned to the rubbish-filled alley, scene of the latest battle
0:36:34 > 0:36:36in her personal war on waste.
0:36:36 > 0:36:40I think the thing with waste and what makes me passionate about it,
0:36:40 > 0:36:43I don't like to walk down the street, I don't like to see
0:36:43 > 0:36:46waste and rubbish. Neither does the general public.
0:36:46 > 0:36:49The council tax is there. What do I pay my council tax for?
0:36:49 > 0:36:50For front-line services.
0:36:50 > 0:36:53You pay it for your bins to be emptied and streets to be cleaned,
0:36:53 > 0:36:55so by me doing what I do,
0:36:55 > 0:36:58I hopefully get quite a bit of that waste off the street
0:36:58 > 0:37:00without other people and members of the public
0:37:00 > 0:37:03having to actually walk past it and see it.
0:37:05 > 0:37:08As well as regular weekly or fortnightly collections,
0:37:08 > 0:37:12most councils offer a free service for picking up bulky waste.
0:37:12 > 0:37:15But residents here haven't called their council to request one.
0:37:15 > 0:37:18Instead, they've left it to fester
0:37:18 > 0:37:21with other rubbish in their own back alleys.
0:37:21 > 0:37:23We can't afford to keep going in and clearing areas
0:37:23 > 0:37:26when we're not getting co-operation from residents.
0:37:26 > 0:37:28We can't afford to clear everywhere up.
0:37:28 > 0:37:32We've got financial restraints on us and we just can't possibly do it.
0:37:32 > 0:37:37It's down to refuse collectors Ian and Milko to clear up.
0:37:37 > 0:37:40I come out and I do the investigation.
0:37:40 > 0:37:43But ultimately, removal of the stuff is the lads
0:37:43 > 0:37:46and they come into the same place time and time again.
0:37:46 > 0:37:51It's not fair to expect the council to come out and keep clearing up
0:37:51 > 0:37:54after people just because they can't be bothered to use the correct bins.
0:37:54 > 0:37:58I did this place two years ago. Exactly the same spot.
0:38:00 > 0:38:02Kept clean for a while, hasn't it?
0:38:02 > 0:38:04When you see something in a communal area
0:38:04 > 0:38:08and it's full of waste for the first time, it sort of makes me wonder
0:38:08 > 0:38:10how people have lived with it as long as they have.
0:38:10 > 0:38:12The smell is horrendous.
0:38:12 > 0:38:15It's all rotted down food, but with the weather and the elements,
0:38:15 > 0:38:18it always makes it break down just that little bit more.
0:38:18 > 0:38:21That's something else that the lads have got to look forward to,
0:38:21 > 0:38:24as well as going through and finding the little needles
0:38:24 > 0:38:27that we found when we were going through for evidence.
0:38:27 > 0:38:29To let it get in such a state and not work together
0:38:29 > 0:38:32with your neighbours, I can't...
0:38:32 > 0:38:35I can't understand why they let it get so bad.
0:38:39 > 0:38:40It's not bad cleaning it up,
0:38:40 > 0:38:44but it shouldn't be here in the first place, should it?
0:38:45 > 0:38:49Especially outside somebody's house. I wouldn't have it outside my house.
0:38:50 > 0:38:54That's the problem. But mind you, this is just one of many, this.
0:38:56 > 0:38:59My gut feeling is that it won't last long,
0:38:59 > 0:39:01but it's one of them areas that we've passed to our
0:39:01 > 0:39:03clean and safe neighbourhood officers.
0:39:03 > 0:39:07They're going to be going out on a regular basis, to speak to residents
0:39:07 > 0:39:11and get a residents' association together to keep that area clean.
0:39:11 > 0:39:15With the waste gone, residents like Diane and her neighbours
0:39:15 > 0:39:17have a clean and safe alley once again.
0:39:17 > 0:39:21It's absolutely great. We're coming up to summertime.
0:39:21 > 0:39:24It's nice to be able to think, "Well, I can sit out in the back,
0:39:24 > 0:39:28"I can hang my washing out. It doesn't smell.
0:39:28 > 0:39:33"I'm not going to have flies coming in," stuff like this. It's great.
0:39:33 > 0:39:36We'll only now get involved should it get as bad again
0:39:36 > 0:39:39that we need to serve any form of notice.
0:39:39 > 0:39:42If that's the case, we're looking at the same again.
0:39:42 > 0:39:44We're looking at a back alley full of putrescible waste.
0:39:44 > 0:39:47We're looking at residents that have not been bothered
0:39:47 > 0:39:49and that's where we'll come in again.
0:39:49 > 0:39:54We're hoping that the residents' association will keep on top of it.
0:39:54 > 0:39:57If I could solve this problem, I'd be a millionaire
0:39:57 > 0:39:59and I don't look like a millionaire.
0:40:11 > 0:40:13Across town, Brian's on the hunt for a rat
0:40:13 > 0:40:16reported to be hiding in an old outhouse.
0:40:16 > 0:40:20Even though it's all been disturbed, there's every chance we might hear
0:40:20 > 0:40:22a bit of rustling on the floor.
0:40:31 > 0:40:34She said there's still a big one knocking about.
0:40:44 > 0:40:47Another whack up here.
0:40:49 > 0:40:52Whoa! See all the droppings?
0:40:52 > 0:40:54Rat droppings.
0:41:24 > 0:41:28As you can see, that's ideal nesting material. It was kept up on top here.
0:41:30 > 0:41:32No, unfortunately...
0:41:36 > 0:41:39..Ratty's disappeared. He's not in here.
0:41:39 > 0:41:41He doesn't want to play ball.
0:41:41 > 0:41:43I'll put some bait in that shed.
0:41:44 > 0:41:46Chances are, he'll probably return.
0:41:50 > 0:41:53Just to give the lady peace of mind as well.
0:41:56 > 0:41:58I'm going to use two external bait boxes.
0:41:59 > 0:42:03Rat goes into through that hole, eats the poison and then it goes off.
0:42:03 > 0:42:07The lid on top protects it from non-target species.
0:42:07 > 0:42:10If I slip that behind the wood like that...
0:42:10 > 0:42:12it's safe.
0:42:14 > 0:42:15Right. That's done.
0:42:16 > 0:42:19Bait laid, this rat's day's are numbered.
0:42:20 > 0:42:23Shame there wasn't one running around.
0:42:25 > 0:42:28Brian and his council colleagues nationwide have been doing
0:42:28 > 0:42:30their best for their residents once again.
0:42:30 > 0:42:33They've wrestled with rats...
0:42:33 > 0:42:34There's one. At the end of the day,
0:42:34 > 0:42:36they're vermin and they spread diseases.
0:42:36 > 0:42:39..they've supported small businesses...
0:42:39 > 0:42:42I scored you very well, so your overall rating after today
0:42:42 > 0:42:45- is a five, which is the best. - Thank you.
0:42:45 > 0:42:47..and rid the streets of wrong-doers...
0:42:47 > 0:42:50- Oi, oi, oi!- Excuse me.- Excuse me, love. You can't do that.
0:42:50 > 0:42:53That's not acceptable behaviour, not at all.
0:42:53 > 0:42:56..and all when WE called the council...
0:42:56 > 0:43:00It's nice to be able to go to work and think,
0:43:00 > 0:43:04"Today, I changed something for somebody."
0:43:04 > 0:43:06That makes you feel good about yourself.
0:43:15 > 0:43:17Subtitles by Red Bee Media