0:00:03 > 0:00:08From waste and recycling to pest control and trading standards,
0:00:08 > 0:00:11the taxes that we pay to our local councils
0:00:11 > 0:00:15are used to provide many 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 front-line staff
0:00:21 > 0:00:25working behind the walls of Tameside town hall in Greater Manchester.
0:00:26 > 0:00:29Like council officers across the country, these local
0:00:29 > 0:00:33heroes are waging war on those blighting our communities.
0:00:33 > 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 > 0:00:43If there's rodent activity in your kitchen, you won't be opening tonight. 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 > 0:00:49I'm at a loose end. I do not know where to turn.
0:00:49 > 0:00:53..and responding to their residents when they call the Council.
0:00:59 > 0:01:02Coming up in today's programme...
0:01:02 > 0:01:04Council officers fight a fire that's threatening
0:01:04 > 0:01:06the health of their residents...
0:01:06 > 0:01:09You can't burn trade waste. You're going to have to stop burning.
0:01:09 > 0:01:13..pursue a personal battle against the borough's pigeon population...
0:01:13 > 0:01:16"Please do not feed pigeons."
0:01:16 > 0:01:20..and tackle a takeaway that's in danger of being overrun by rats
0:01:20 > 0:01:22and raw sewage.
0:01:22 > 0:01:24There's still quite a lot of waste on the ground
0:01:24 > 0:01:27and there's a lot of rat droppings in here.
0:01:38 > 0:01:44Nearly two million people are employed by the UK's 433 local authorities.
0:01:44 > 0:01:46Who's next, please?
0:01:46 > 0:01:48These local heroes are fighting
0:01:48 > 0:01:50to protect us, the public - and our money.
0:01:51 > 0:01:55Whether it's pest control, food safety or trading standards,
0:01:55 > 0:01:59like most taxpayers in Britain, the people of Tameside expect
0:01:59 > 0:02:02a speedy response when they call the Council.
0:02:05 > 0:02:07Good morning, Environmental Services. Phil Rodgers speaking.
0:02:07 > 0:02:11The number of complaints that we normally receive can vary
0:02:11 > 0:02:13quite dramatically and one week I can get ten in a week or maybe more.
0:02:13 > 0:02:15Yeah. I'll see what I can do. OK.
0:02:15 > 0:02:16It depends whether there is some...
0:02:16 > 0:02:18Sometimes, when there are inherent issues
0:02:18 > 0:02:20that everybody in the local area wants dealing with,
0:02:20 > 0:02:23we'll get bombarded with complaints from the localised area
0:02:23 > 0:02:26so we'll be inundated.
0:02:28 > 0:02:31Every year Councils in England and Wales receive over
0:02:31 > 0:02:3550 million enquiries from residents asking for help or alerting
0:02:35 > 0:02:38the Council to something they feel is wrong.
0:02:38 > 0:02:40But before any of the officers at the Council HQ
0:02:40 > 0:02:43can start responding to today's calls,
0:02:43 > 0:02:47ever-vigilant Enforcement Officer Phil Rodgers has spotted someone
0:02:47 > 0:02:51causing a nuisance and needs to take action.
0:02:51 > 0:02:54Somebody's having a bit of a bonfire over there.
0:02:54 > 0:02:57- MAN:- Have them! - WOMAN:- Go and get 'em!
0:03:00 > 0:03:03Whether it's from a fire like this or even road transport,
0:03:03 > 0:03:06air pollution harms our health and wellbeing.
0:03:08 > 0:03:11Currently, it's estimated to reduce the life expectancy
0:03:11 > 0:03:14of everyone in the UK by six months on average,
0:03:14 > 0:03:17at a cost of around £16 billion per year.
0:03:19 > 0:03:22In one year alone, local authorities received over
0:03:22 > 0:03:2514,000 complaints about smoke,
0:03:25 > 0:03:27significantly more than complaints
0:03:27 > 0:03:29made about any other nuisance.
0:03:29 > 0:03:31Officers Phil Rodgers
0:03:31 > 0:03:34and Pete Grimes are en route to investigate this latest issue.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37If you're going to burn something, you're going to create a smoke nuisance.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40Don't do it within a stone's throw of the Council buildings
0:03:40 > 0:03:44where everyone can see you, where the likelihood is someone's going to report it, never mind the fact
0:03:44 > 0:03:48that our office looks right over the top of it and we can see it!
0:03:52 > 0:03:55Excuse me, fella. Can we just have a word a minute, please, make?
0:03:55 > 0:03:58From the local authority. We need to come in and have a look, mate.
0:04:01 > 0:04:04Behind the gate, Phil and Pete find the fire,
0:04:04 > 0:04:08the man who started it and some potentially toxic materials.
0:04:08 > 0:04:13Under legislation, the Environmental Protection Act, Section 46,
0:04:13 > 0:04:16you can't burn trade waste. You're going to have to stop burning.
0:04:16 > 0:04:18You're going to have to get a skip or dispose of it by other means
0:04:18 > 0:04:23like going to the tip. The smoke issue causes a nuisance as well, so you've got to be really careful.
0:04:23 > 0:04:26- We're there in the Council office. - We can see it.
0:04:26 > 0:04:30The landowner has paid the workmen to clear the space, and the officers
0:04:30 > 0:04:34need to step in before any toxic trade waste is added to the fire.
0:04:34 > 0:04:38Obviously the burning of tyres is distinctly bad because it
0:04:38 > 0:04:44creates huge amounts of pallid black, awful smoke and it stinks.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47It doesn't just rise off and disappear into the atmosphere.
0:04:47 > 0:04:51It often sinks and makes people's...
0:04:51 > 0:04:54Blackens people's washing, makes people's lives a misery.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57If people have got windows open and stuff, it's awful.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00That's asbestos. Probably asbestos.
0:05:00 > 0:05:02Likely it's going to be... That can't... That's got to go.
0:05:02 > 0:05:04There are potential health hazards
0:05:04 > 0:05:07associated with the inhalation of asbestos.
0:05:07 > 0:05:09If you ask for advice, we will give you the guidance that's
0:05:09 > 0:05:12appropriate on how to get rid of it
0:05:12 > 0:05:14and the Council will take it off your hands free of charge.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17However, obviously, if you are a commercial premises,
0:05:17 > 0:05:21and you're getting rid of that kind of stuff, well, unfortunately,
0:05:21 > 0:05:24there is a charge for getting rid of it.
0:05:24 > 0:05:27So obviously, that charge then leads people to want to get
0:05:27 > 0:05:31rid of it in manners which are not legal.
0:05:31 > 0:05:34So I'll let that die down. No more on that. All right, mate.
0:05:34 > 0:05:35Cheers for that.
0:05:37 > 0:05:40The current economic climate means times are tough
0:05:40 > 0:05:43but it looks like cutting corners has cost this man
0:05:43 > 0:05:47and his employer a lot more than they bargained for.
0:05:47 > 0:05:49He's probably agreed to do the job for 50 quid...
0:05:49 > 0:05:52- Yeah.- And it's going to cost him 100 to get rid of that waste
0:05:52 > 0:05:54at an official registered tip site.
0:05:54 > 0:05:57He's just said there, to get one skip, one of the bigger skips,
0:05:57 > 0:05:59you're looking at £180.
0:05:59 > 0:06:01Rather go to a tip, or get a skip -
0:06:01 > 0:06:04not burn it cos it's a cheap way of doing it.
0:06:04 > 0:06:08Phil and Pete's speedy response to today's toxic smoke signals
0:06:08 > 0:06:11has extinguished the dangerous possibility of any hazardous fumes
0:06:11 > 0:06:13reaching Tameside's residents.
0:06:14 > 0:06:16Council busy bodies!
0:06:27 > 0:06:30Our local authorities fund their activities from three
0:06:30 > 0:06:34main sources - grants from central Government, Council tax
0:06:34 > 0:06:38and other locally generated fees and charges.
0:06:38 > 0:06:40But wherever the money is coming from,
0:06:40 > 0:06:43today's economic climate means every penny counts.
0:06:43 > 0:06:47So when some residents start costing us unnecessary cash,
0:06:47 > 0:06:49heroic Council officers get to work.
0:06:50 > 0:06:54After local business owners called the Council to complain about
0:06:54 > 0:06:58pigeon poo in the market square, Tameside's Pest Control Officer
0:06:58 > 0:07:03Brian Whelan has started a war against the local pigeon population,
0:07:03 > 0:07:07and the people encouraging them into the square by feeding them.
0:07:07 > 0:07:10They're just flying rats, if you ask me.
0:07:10 > 0:07:12They're not racing pigeons, or anything like that.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15They're feral birds. They're full of diseases
0:07:15 > 0:07:17and all they do is just guano everywhere.
0:07:17 > 0:07:22You've got statues, you got monuments and everything and they just poo all over it.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26We share the UK with an estimated
0:07:26 > 0:07:2918 million feral pigeons who can carry up to
0:07:29 > 0:07:3340 diseases harmful to humans.
0:07:33 > 0:07:35Their droppings have a destructive effect on structures,
0:07:35 > 0:07:40making pavements, ladders and fire escapes too dangerous to use.
0:07:40 > 0:07:44They're one of the few birds recognised by the Government
0:07:44 > 0:07:48as a nuisance pest and can be controlled using humane methods
0:07:48 > 0:07:51and only with a licence.
0:07:51 > 0:07:55But it's the public that are at the root of Brian's distress.
0:07:55 > 0:07:57It's my biggest bane and I just wish people
0:07:57 > 0:08:00would stop feeding the pigeons and just...
0:08:00 > 0:08:02Then town centres would be lovely.
0:08:02 > 0:08:05All your monuments, all your structures on buildings
0:08:05 > 0:08:07wouldn't have this spiking on or anything like that.
0:08:07 > 0:08:09It would all look nice.
0:08:09 > 0:08:12But because people encourage them, that's what happens and it is...
0:08:12 > 0:08:15It's a pet hate of mine, it really is. Ah... Don't...
0:08:15 > 0:08:18It gets me... It gets in my goat, honest!
0:08:19 > 0:08:21The problem area we've got where people are feeding
0:08:21 > 0:08:24the pigeons is this seating area.
0:08:24 > 0:08:28And as you can see, fair few roosting.
0:08:28 > 0:08:30A lot of foulings on the roofs, people come at certain
0:08:30 > 0:08:33times of the day, people have their own spot at a certain time.
0:08:33 > 0:08:35They'll come and throw a load of food down.
0:08:35 > 0:08:37But it's not just the pigeons, unfortunately.
0:08:37 > 0:08:39I mean, it'll also encourage rats,
0:08:39 > 0:08:42because there'll be a food source there for them so we have to
0:08:42 > 0:08:45stop it, because at the end of the day, it's a shopping centre.
0:08:48 > 0:08:51In a bid to stop the problem at source, Brian has set pigeon
0:08:51 > 0:08:56traps on the roof of the market hall that overlooks the market square.
0:08:56 > 0:08:59Once lured with corn, he relies on years of training
0:08:59 > 0:09:04and experience to keep the pigeon population under control.
0:09:04 > 0:09:06They're what we call dispatchers.
0:09:06 > 0:09:09Put it round the pigeon's neck, twist it, pull.
0:09:09 > 0:09:11Pigeon dies, put it in a bag, out of the way.
0:09:13 > 0:09:15Brian set his traps a few days ago
0:09:15 > 0:09:17and is hoping for a healthy haul this morning.
0:09:23 > 0:09:27Normally we'll have about... ten, twelve.
0:09:27 > 0:09:30Sometimes five in one, four in another.
0:09:30 > 0:09:31Something like that.
0:09:31 > 0:09:33Hopefully we'll have some in these.
0:09:35 > 0:09:37There's none in that.
0:09:37 > 0:09:39That one's empty, them two.
0:09:39 > 0:09:40Bit of a disappointment.
0:09:43 > 0:09:47One. That's an embarrassment.
0:09:48 > 0:09:50Oh, no - there's two.
0:09:54 > 0:09:58Obviously, they've got a big feed from down below.
0:09:58 > 0:09:59That's the problem we've got.
0:09:59 > 0:10:01You come back and it's like
0:10:01 > 0:10:04"How many birds did you get today?" "None."
0:10:04 > 0:10:06And it's a defeatist sort of thing because
0:10:06 > 0:10:08if there's nothing in the cage then you've just wasted the corn.
0:10:08 > 0:10:13And it is frustrating but you look down and you see why.
0:10:13 > 0:10:17The thing is, against any pest, it may take a little bit of time.
0:10:17 > 0:10:18But you will win the war in the end.
0:10:18 > 0:10:21There's only one winner, and that's us pest controllers.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24The feral pigeons, they cause a mess. They're a nuisance.
0:10:27 > 0:10:30I know it's not a pleasant job and it's not everybody's job.
0:10:30 > 0:10:33But there's jobs out there, you know, other people can't do.
0:10:33 > 0:10:35But someone has to do it, unfortunately.
0:10:40 > 0:10:41I mean, that's a poor show, two.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44It's not very good, I'll be honest with you.
0:10:44 > 0:10:48But we'll leave them set tonight and see if there's any more in tomorrow.
0:10:50 > 0:10:52Having bagged just two birds today,
0:10:52 > 0:10:56Brian's battle with the pigeon population of Tameside continues.
0:10:57 > 0:10:59But if he's going to win this war,
0:10:59 > 0:11:02he needs to enlist the human residents of the borough
0:11:02 > 0:11:05and persuade them to stop feeding his feathered foes.
0:11:10 > 0:11:13Coming up, Brian's campaign is joined by reinforcements.
0:11:13 > 0:11:15Have you got them signs?
0:11:16 > 0:11:20But mindless vandals put a dent in his enthusiasm and his progress.
0:11:20 > 0:11:22I can't believe this.
0:11:34 > 0:11:38While the nation's council officers are patrolling our streets,
0:11:38 > 0:11:40in town hall call centres up and down the country
0:11:40 > 0:11:45staff are busy helping residents when they call the council.
0:11:45 > 0:11:47Good afternoon, customer services, Jake speaking, can I help?
0:11:47 > 0:11:49But not all calls go quite to plan.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54People ring up and ask us to send somebody out
0:11:54 > 0:11:58to fix their washing machines, fix their fridges.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01What do you expect us to do? Council call centre -
0:12:01 > 0:12:06we deal with bin enquiries, we're not maintenance, we're not handymen.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09Good morning, customer services, how can I help?
0:12:09 > 0:12:11'There was a lady actually ringing me from Portland Basin,'
0:12:11 > 0:12:13the main canal in Tameside,
0:12:13 > 0:12:18and she was reporting a bin that was floating in the canal -
0:12:18 > 0:12:21and it isn't really funny - but as she was speaking to me,
0:12:21 > 0:12:23she actually fell into the canal,
0:12:23 > 0:12:29so all I could hear was this water and this lady going into the canal.
0:12:29 > 0:12:33We sent the emergency services and the lady was perfectly fine.
0:12:34 > 0:12:39I could hear this water! "Hello! Hello!" "I'm drowning!"
0:12:40 > 0:12:44Oh, dear. She did ring up the next week, just to say she was fine.
0:12:46 > 0:12:50"I'm still alive and I'm fine! Now, can you get my bin emptied?!"
0:12:51 > 0:12:53Thanks for calling. Bye.
0:13:02 > 0:13:04As well as keeping our air pollution-free
0:13:04 > 0:13:06and controlling the pest population,
0:13:06 > 0:13:09local councils are responsible
0:13:09 > 0:13:13for monitoring the hygiene of the nation's restaurants and takeaways.
0:13:13 > 0:13:17The satisfaction of the job, really, is to help people
0:13:17 > 0:13:21and to protect the people of Tameside,
0:13:21 > 0:13:23particularly the old and the vulnerable.
0:13:25 > 0:13:28Today, after concerned residents called the council,
0:13:28 > 0:13:32Khush Ahmed and his fellow enforcement officer Monica Gartside
0:13:32 > 0:13:37are inspecting a takeaway that has a history of rat infestations.
0:13:37 > 0:13:41When rodents access buildings or premises like that,
0:13:41 > 0:13:47they will walk across surfaces and, as we know, particularly rats,
0:13:47 > 0:13:50they are incontinent all the time
0:13:50 > 0:13:54so they will contaminate food or surfaces with their feet
0:13:54 > 0:13:57and the actual dropping themselves.
0:13:57 > 0:14:01The last thing you want is something like that to come across in food.
0:14:03 > 0:14:05The takeaway's under new management,
0:14:05 > 0:14:08but Monica's inspected these premises many times before,
0:14:08 > 0:14:12even forcing it to close when under the previous owners.
0:14:12 > 0:14:15I first went into the business about five years ago.
0:14:15 > 0:14:19Since then, it's been at least three to four owners.
0:14:19 > 0:14:21It's changed hands nearly every 12 months,
0:14:21 > 0:14:24which is never a good sign.
0:14:24 > 0:14:28It indicates the business isn't making any money, and if it doesn't
0:14:28 > 0:14:32make any profit, there's not going to be a lot invested in hygiene.
0:14:32 > 0:14:36With rat numbers estimated at ten million in the UK
0:14:36 > 0:14:39and pest control officers attending nearly
0:14:39 > 0:14:4320,000 rat-related callouts in one year,
0:14:43 > 0:14:45we are never far from a rodent that could be carrying
0:14:45 > 0:14:49listeria, weils and other deadly diseases.
0:14:50 > 0:14:52Monica and Khush are back today
0:14:52 > 0:14:54to see if there's any fresh evidence of rats.
0:14:54 > 0:14:58If there is, the officers could close the takeaway down again.
0:14:58 > 0:15:01Their first job is to inspect the takeaway's storeroom.
0:15:01 > 0:15:05Under previous owners, it had been overrun with rodents.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09Mr Sadeer, you need to clean all this up
0:15:09 > 0:15:14because this grease is offering a food source to rats.
0:15:14 > 0:15:17This is the old bait, this was laid by the previous owner.
0:15:17 > 0:15:21There was over one kilo of bait eaten in here.
0:15:23 > 0:15:25That's how bad the infestation was
0:15:25 > 0:15:27and the premises had to be closed down.
0:15:27 > 0:15:31You need to get rid of that pipe because it will allow a rat
0:15:31 > 0:15:34to go into that pipe right through into your business.
0:15:34 > 0:15:37It will follow that pipe along and go into the kitchen.
0:15:37 > 0:15:39You need to sort that out as well.
0:15:39 > 0:15:42There's still quite a lot of waste on the ground
0:15:42 > 0:15:44and a lot of rat droppings.
0:15:44 > 0:15:47I think they're the old droppings, but they need to be swept up
0:15:47 > 0:15:50so you can check if you've got any new droppings.
0:15:50 > 0:15:53You walk into premises, particularly food premises,
0:15:53 > 0:15:57and you can see evidence of rodent infestation.
0:15:57 > 0:16:02Why a business would want to carry on working in those conditions...
0:16:02 > 0:16:07I don't know whether it's a lack of education or just pure ignorance
0:16:07 > 0:16:11that, when you go in, you see things like that and people think that
0:16:11 > 0:16:14it's all right for them to carry on working in those conditions.
0:16:14 > 0:16:19- Oh, don't tell me. You're not using this fridge, are you?- No.
0:16:20 > 0:16:24Can you get rid of...? There's a rat dropping in there, look.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28But it's not just the storeroom that's a cause for concern.
0:16:28 > 0:16:31Part of the problems faced by the previous owner
0:16:31 > 0:16:35stemmed from a blocked and overflowing sewage drain.
0:16:35 > 0:16:38We'll probably need to lift this drain again.
0:16:38 > 0:16:41Because the drain is on the takeaway's property,
0:16:41 > 0:16:43it's their responsibility to clear it.
0:16:45 > 0:16:48- This drain is still blocked. - We've already cleared this once.
0:16:48 > 0:16:50But there's a blockage outside.
0:16:52 > 0:16:55There was some blockage outside, beyond that wall.
0:16:55 > 0:17:01There's something wrong outside there.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04I know that's not your problem, well, it's not your fault,
0:17:04 > 0:17:06we'll deal with the outside,
0:17:06 > 0:17:09but you need to make sure it's not coming from inside.
0:17:09 > 0:17:10That's OK with me.
0:17:12 > 0:17:14Drainage is really high priority.
0:17:14 > 0:17:16If you get a backing-up of your drains,
0:17:16 > 0:17:19it means you can't use your toilet, you can't use your sinks,
0:17:19 > 0:17:22wash-hand basins, so the business can't operate.
0:17:25 > 0:17:28I'll tell you, I'm very concerned about this.
0:17:28 > 0:17:29I know where the problem is,
0:17:29 > 0:17:34but it's within the curtilage of your premises, this food business.
0:17:34 > 0:17:39When you've got raw sewage like that, and you can smell that,
0:17:39 > 0:17:43within the curtilage of a food business, it's got to be of concern.
0:17:45 > 0:17:47When we come back on the next visit,
0:17:47 > 0:17:51we've got to see substantial improvement in this shed area,
0:17:51 > 0:17:52this area, jet cleaned,
0:17:52 > 0:17:56and then just reassess it.
0:17:58 > 0:17:59Right, OK.
0:18:01 > 0:18:05Monica and Khush give the business just 24 hours to clean up.
0:18:05 > 0:18:08If they fail to act, they'll be forced to close.
0:18:08 > 0:18:12We shut people down because we feel that there is an imminent risk.
0:18:12 > 0:18:15At the end of the day, we're protecting the public.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18If we allowed these premises to remain open,
0:18:18 > 0:18:22they would cause serious harm to individuals
0:18:22 > 0:18:27or a group of people by the imminent risk present at the premises.
0:18:29 > 0:18:31They're saying that the rats were coming
0:18:31 > 0:18:33through the sewage or something.
0:18:33 > 0:18:37Obviously, whenever you open a new business
0:18:37 > 0:18:41and something like this happens, it's not fair on me, is it?
0:18:41 > 0:18:45What have I got into? The previous owners didn't tell me about it.
0:18:48 > 0:18:50Coming up,
0:18:50 > 0:18:53with the future of this business hanging in the balance,
0:18:53 > 0:18:56the council is forced to call in reinforcements
0:18:56 > 0:18:58to try and solve its sewage problems.
0:18:58 > 0:19:01Will you be able to get that pipe out?
0:19:01 > 0:19:03We'll get it out one way or another.
0:19:08 > 0:19:10We all pay taxes that go towards
0:19:10 > 0:19:13the work of officers like Monica and Khush,
0:19:13 > 0:19:15and because we're footing the bill,
0:19:15 > 0:19:18we all have an opinion on what our local councils do,
0:19:18 > 0:19:21whether it's rates, rubbish or roads.
0:19:24 > 0:19:26There are always pot holes.
0:19:26 > 0:19:28You've got all these speed humps,
0:19:28 > 0:19:30they're never out gritting when they should be out.
0:19:30 > 0:19:32It always seems to be if it's been a bad night,
0:19:32 > 0:19:34it's always the night after they're out.
0:19:34 > 0:19:37They're never on time with the gritting.
0:19:37 > 0:19:40As a business owner, we need the car parks
0:19:40 > 0:19:42and we need the prices to be reduced
0:19:42 > 0:19:46because we depend on the customers coming to us
0:19:46 > 0:19:49and if they can't come and park for a reasonable amount,
0:19:49 > 0:19:51they're going to go somewhere else.
0:19:51 > 0:19:53We've all tried to put this to the council,
0:19:53 > 0:19:57but they don't want to know, really.
0:20:00 > 0:20:03We don't have time to think really
0:20:03 > 0:20:05about who does empty our bins,
0:20:05 > 0:20:08about who does really educate our children,
0:20:08 > 0:20:12who does really keep our streets well lit.
0:20:14 > 0:20:16We do take them for granted.
0:20:16 > 0:20:20But I think if people really did stop and think, then they'd realise
0:20:20 > 0:20:24that it is our local council that keeps us safe.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33Like them or loathe them,
0:20:33 > 0:20:35our local councils are responsible
0:20:35 > 0:20:38for many of our most essential services
0:20:38 > 0:20:41and local council employees across the country
0:20:41 > 0:20:45are committed to caring for us in life and even in death.
0:20:48 > 0:20:50Working in one of the borough's eight cemeteries today
0:20:50 > 0:20:52is council employee Geoff Dale
0:20:52 > 0:20:55who has been digging graves for ten years.
0:20:56 > 0:21:00When you tell them you're a grave-digger, they take a step back,
0:21:00 > 0:21:03they're a bit surprised because it seems like an unusual job.
0:21:04 > 0:21:08People don't expect you to say, "I'm a grave-digger."
0:21:08 > 0:21:11But it's a good job. I like doing it.
0:21:15 > 0:21:18Helping Geoff today is fellow digger Danny.
0:21:18 > 0:21:21It's great. It's a bit of a party piece in a pub
0:21:21 > 0:21:24when they ask what you do for a living, "I'm a grave-digger."
0:21:24 > 0:21:25It's endless questions after that.
0:21:25 > 0:21:29"That must be a dead-end job." They always say the same things.
0:21:29 > 0:21:31"I bet that's depressing." It's not.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34If you've got a good group of lads that you're working with,
0:21:34 > 0:21:35it's a good laugh.
0:21:35 > 0:21:38Straighten up on that corner there. On the wall, as well.
0:21:40 > 0:21:42This is a normal size grave, this.
0:21:42 > 0:21:47But we do get some really big sizes, like big people.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50Some of the graves are twice the size of this.
0:21:50 > 0:21:54I think it's... They are bigger people now, aren't they?
0:21:54 > 0:21:57This is just a standard size, this one.
0:22:00 > 0:22:02Today's task is fairly straightforward,
0:22:02 > 0:22:04but both Geoff and Danny are well aware
0:22:04 > 0:22:07that their occupation is not without its hazards.
0:22:07 > 0:22:10I have seen a few things while I've been hand digging.
0:22:10 > 0:22:13You know, boxes that have been rotted away.
0:22:14 > 0:22:17You do come across the occasional bone.
0:22:17 > 0:22:21But nothing too scary. Nothing I can't handle.
0:22:23 > 0:22:27I've had one or two trips where I've sunk into the grave,
0:22:27 > 0:22:29but not actually fell down the hole.
0:22:30 > 0:22:34The worst thing what can happen is if a grave collapses.
0:22:34 > 0:22:37That's a bad day, something like that happens.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40But for Geoff and Danny, things are changing.
0:22:40 > 0:22:44Like local councils nationwide, Tameside's budget is being slashed
0:22:44 > 0:22:46and its staff numbers shrinking.
0:22:46 > 0:22:49But the demand for a council's service doesn't cease,
0:22:49 > 0:22:51so those employees that remain
0:22:51 > 0:22:55are being called upon to undergo a broader range of duties.
0:22:55 > 0:22:57For Geoff, that means a move into pest control
0:22:57 > 0:22:59and joining up with Brian
0:22:59 > 0:23:02on his campaign to reduce the pigeon population.
0:23:03 > 0:23:06When I was first approached by pest control,
0:23:06 > 0:23:09all I thought about was killing things, you know,
0:23:09 > 0:23:12sort of killing animals and that.
0:23:12 > 0:23:14That was one of me concerns.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18Obviously, you work with poisons so you've got to be careful.
0:23:19 > 0:23:21There's that aspect of it as well.
0:23:22 > 0:23:24Right, Danny, just drop it in, mate.
0:23:26 > 0:23:28As a relative newcomer to pest control,
0:23:28 > 0:23:32Geoff is still coming to terms with exterminating pigeons.
0:23:32 > 0:23:36The pigeons are just there, their little eyes open.
0:23:37 > 0:23:39They're just still and they...
0:23:40 > 0:23:45If somebody tried to do that to you, you'd be screaming. You'd fight back!
0:23:45 > 0:23:49- They don't know what's going to happen, do they?- They mustn't do.
0:23:49 > 0:23:51They mustn't do.
0:23:54 > 0:23:56Reckon they'd be easy to shoot?
0:23:57 > 0:24:01You'd have to keep loading your... I don't know.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04- You shoot it and it's instant. - It's instant, yeah.
0:24:05 > 0:24:07I think it's...
0:24:07 > 0:24:10But it's not going to look very good carrying a gun around...
0:24:10 > 0:24:12Cause an uproar.
0:24:12 > 0:24:14- We'd better...- Carry on.- ..carry on.
0:24:16 > 0:24:19Only time will tell if soft-souled Geoff can hack it
0:24:19 > 0:24:22as a hard-hearted pest control officer.
0:24:23 > 0:24:25But Geoff doesn't have long to wait
0:24:25 > 0:24:27before starting his pest control duties.
0:24:29 > 0:24:31Today he's joined up with Brian
0:24:31 > 0:24:35and together they're ready to tackle the borough's pigeon population
0:24:35 > 0:24:37and the people that have been feeding them.
0:24:37 > 0:24:39You got them signs, yeah?
0:24:39 > 0:24:42And with help from the powers-that-be,
0:24:42 > 0:24:44Brian's made a major breakthrough.
0:24:44 > 0:24:46Today, it was a milestone.
0:24:46 > 0:24:49I've been after these signs to put down to stop the birds,
0:24:49 > 0:24:51"stop feeding the pigeons".
0:24:51 > 0:24:55Unfortunately, it is a slow progress.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58It's not like some jobs where you get an instant result,
0:24:58 > 0:24:59unfortunately it's just a slow thing
0:24:59 > 0:25:01and you've got to grit your teeth and do it.
0:25:01 > 0:25:03You've got to just keep on going and persevere.
0:25:03 > 0:25:05I'm going to brush all this up now, clear it all up
0:25:05 > 0:25:10and, hopefully, these signs will work. Please God.
0:25:11 > 0:25:15If Brian and Geoff can persuade shoppers to stop feeding the birds,
0:25:15 > 0:25:17they can keep the area free of pigeon poo
0:25:17 > 0:25:21and the rodents that dine on their leftovers.
0:25:21 > 0:25:23- Loads, isn't there, Geoff?- Loads.
0:25:26 > 0:25:28But putting the plans into practice
0:25:28 > 0:25:30isn't as easy as Brian first thought.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34Time for trainee Geoff to show his worth.
0:25:37 > 0:25:40- You got a pin to stick in? - Yeah, I have.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43Shouldn't be carrying that, an offensive weapon in the street.
0:25:43 > 0:25:45It's not very sharp.
0:25:45 > 0:25:48You were in the Boy Scouts. Look at him.
0:25:49 > 0:25:51I tell you what, I've never iced a cake!
0:25:54 > 0:25:56I'm getting a lot of pleasure out of this.
0:25:58 > 0:26:01Sad, isn't it? Putting signs up, and you get pleasure at work.
0:26:02 > 0:26:04Just hope they can read it.
0:26:05 > 0:26:08I don't mean the pigeons, I mean the people.
0:26:19 > 0:26:23Can't get any plainer than that, can you? "Please do not feed pigeons."
0:26:30 > 0:26:32With the signs finally fixed, Brian
0:26:32 > 0:26:36and Geoff face an anxious wait to see if their efforts will pay off.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51For local council heroes the length and breadth of the county,
0:26:51 > 0:26:53public service is a vocation
0:26:53 > 0:26:58and that means off-duty is not necessarily off guard.
0:26:58 > 0:27:00When I eat out, am I on duty?
0:27:00 > 0:27:04Yes, I am. Erm, it drives my family bonkers.
0:27:06 > 0:27:10I'm quite fussy about where I go to eat. I suppose, I see more things
0:27:10 > 0:27:12than your normal person would.
0:27:14 > 0:27:17Obviously when you go out for the night, you're always thinking,
0:27:17 > 0:27:22you know, of how this might have been prepared or what's going on
0:27:22 > 0:27:26behind the scenes but that goes with the job, really.
0:27:26 > 0:27:29When I mention what I do for a living, erm, a lot of people
0:27:29 > 0:27:34immediately start giving excuses for why their houses aren't as clean as
0:27:34 > 0:27:36they'd like to be and I think they
0:27:36 > 0:27:40expect me to have a pristine kitchen.
0:27:40 > 0:27:44So, people are quite aware of their own hygiene standards, suddenly.
0:27:44 > 0:27:47And they often start talking about food and things they've got at the
0:27:47 > 0:27:49back of the fridge and stuff like that.
0:27:53 > 0:27:56Back on the streets, Monica's back on duty
0:27:56 > 0:27:59and en route to the takeaway she inspected 24 hours ago
0:27:59 > 0:28:02but this is far from a social visit.
0:28:02 > 0:28:06The premises have been plagued by a blocked sewage pipe
0:28:06 > 0:28:09and rats who may have been enticed by a filthy outhouse.
0:28:09 > 0:28:12There's a lot of rat droppings in here.
0:28:12 > 0:28:16Monica demanded a drastic clean up and, if she doesn't see huge
0:28:16 > 0:28:20improvements today, she has the power to shut the place down.
0:28:21 > 0:28:25Our first duty is to protect public health.
0:28:25 > 0:28:29If the conditions exist in the business, to show and to give
0:28:29 > 0:28:32evidence that there's an imminent risk to health,
0:28:32 > 0:28:34then we would follow the course of the law and...
0:28:34 > 0:28:39first of all, get the business closed, really.
0:28:39 > 0:28:44And with public safety at stake, there's no room for sentiment.
0:28:44 > 0:28:47It's not something I enjoy, I suppose. It's a quite stressful
0:28:47 > 0:28:49part of the job to have to
0:28:49 > 0:28:51close somewhere down, it's a big decision to make.
0:28:51 > 0:28:53But it's just part of my job, so I
0:28:53 > 0:28:59base it on the evidence, on what I find...and that's it, really!
0:29:03 > 0:29:05Hi, there. Hi, Mr Sadeer, thank you.
0:29:05 > 0:29:07Oh, you've levelled the floor.
0:29:07 > 0:29:11I've levelled the floor, put a socket there.
0:29:11 > 0:29:14- I've been here this morning, since eight o'clock.- Have you?
0:29:14 > 0:29:16Nice sitting room, though, isn't it?
0:29:16 > 0:29:18It's really great, I'm delighted!
0:29:18 > 0:29:22- I've put a bulb light there. - Fantastic, that's really great.
0:29:22 > 0:29:26Yeah, thank you. So, how did you get on with the drain?
0:29:26 > 0:29:28What was it like the last time you looked down there?
0:29:28 > 0:29:31- It was pretty low.- Was it? OK.
0:29:31 > 0:29:33- We'll have a look now.- Yeah.
0:29:34 > 0:29:36Right, OK.
0:29:39 > 0:29:42- OK, yeah.- It's not rising, anyway.- Yeah.
0:29:42 > 0:29:44It is still going.
0:29:44 > 0:29:47What would be good, as well, if it would be possible to pour some water
0:29:47 > 0:29:49down that gulley, just like a basin.
0:29:49 > 0:29:51- How many gallons?- Just like a pan.
0:29:53 > 0:29:55That's all gone through there, yeah?
0:29:55 > 0:29:58Yeah, that looks like there's something happening there, yeah.
0:29:58 > 0:29:59OK, great.
0:29:59 > 0:30:01The drain is running a little more freely
0:30:01 > 0:30:03but is still not completely clear.
0:30:05 > 0:30:08Takeaway employee Mr Sadeer thinks the source of problem lies
0:30:08 > 0:30:11with an open drain in an old outhouse, belonging to the
0:30:11 > 0:30:13derelict property next door.
0:30:15 > 0:30:18- It was all about that. - Oh, right, that's very bad.
0:30:18 > 0:30:20- That's open there.- Yeah.
0:30:22 > 0:30:24OK, I'll take a photograph.
0:30:24 > 0:30:26The property being closed is next door,
0:30:26 > 0:30:29it is affecting my business, as well.
0:30:29 > 0:30:30This is a worry because this would
0:30:30 > 0:30:34have been an outdoor toilet, years ago.
0:30:34 > 0:30:38Which has a direct connection to the sewers below.
0:30:38 > 0:30:42You can see it's not been capped properly,
0:30:42 > 0:30:45so there's still a hole where the waste pipe would have been.
0:30:45 > 0:30:50Erm, which is like a way for rats to get up.
0:30:50 > 0:30:55I'll ask the owner of this business to take away all this rubble,
0:30:55 > 0:30:58so that the drain here can be checked as well, to see if there's
0:30:58 > 0:31:01cracks or the drain has collapsed.
0:31:04 > 0:31:07The takeaway has done enough to avoid closure for now.
0:31:08 > 0:31:11But the uncapped drain next door
0:31:11 > 0:31:13still poses a threat to their business.
0:31:15 > 0:31:18With its sewage still not flowing freely and the ominous potential
0:31:18 > 0:31:22for rats to return, the victory for the takeaway will be short lived if
0:31:22 > 0:31:27Monica can't find a way to unblock the street's decaying drains.
0:31:40 > 0:31:43Back in the Market Square, the council's battle with
0:31:43 > 0:31:46the local pigeon population has hit a snag.
0:31:47 > 0:31:50Pest Control Officer Brian is desperate for residents to
0:31:50 > 0:31:53stop feeding the birds.
0:31:53 > 0:31:56Not only are they fouling the area's seats and monuments
0:31:56 > 0:32:00but the excess food is encouraging rats.
0:32:00 > 0:32:04Sadly, Brian's recently erected signs haven't attracted the right
0:32:04 > 0:32:06type of attention.
0:32:07 > 0:32:09I can't believe this!
0:32:11 > 0:32:13It's disgusting what they've done.
0:32:13 > 0:32:18You know, they moan about paying out money for things
0:32:18 > 0:32:21and then they go and do this!
0:32:21 > 0:32:26It's not as if you're like, it's scratched on or anything like that.
0:32:26 > 0:32:29They've actually gone down deep into it.
0:32:31 > 0:32:33It's just pathetic, I tell you!
0:32:34 > 0:32:37Cleaning up the country's defaced buildings
0:32:37 > 0:32:42and property costs us taxpayers over £1 billion a year.
0:32:42 > 0:32:45Anyone caught putting graffiti on public property could face
0:32:45 > 0:32:50ten years in prison or fines of £2,500.
0:32:52 > 0:32:55Having had his signs spoiled by mindless vandals, Brian's even
0:32:55 > 0:32:57more determined to stop the public
0:32:57 > 0:33:00feeding the pigeons once and for all.
0:33:00 > 0:33:03At the end of the day, if you're a bird lover or pigeon lover,
0:33:03 > 0:33:04you wouldn't feed the pigeons here,
0:33:04 > 0:33:08to attract them, so that we have to trap them.
0:33:08 > 0:33:11They're feeding them, encouraging
0:33:11 > 0:33:14them to land here, so I'll trap them and kill them.
0:33:14 > 0:33:16Not my problem!
0:33:17 > 0:33:19Nice clean sign.
0:33:19 > 0:33:22Fortunately, Brian has some powerful allies.
0:33:22 > 0:33:26In a bid to finally clip the pigeons' wings the council
0:33:26 > 0:33:30has enlisted enforcement officer Robert Downey onto Brian's campaign.
0:33:30 > 0:33:32Now, we've got someone there giving
0:33:32 > 0:33:36them a fixed penalty, it'll soon stop it.
0:33:36 > 0:33:38He has the power to dish out
0:33:38 > 0:33:41£50 fines to anyone caught feeding the birds.
0:33:43 > 0:33:46And right now, everyone's a suspect.
0:33:46 > 0:33:49Most people are OK, they just didn't realise or it's habit.
0:33:49 > 0:33:51They'll throw a chip, just put some
0:33:51 > 0:33:54bread out and think they're just feeding the wildlife.
0:33:54 > 0:33:56It's causing lots of mess and the
0:33:56 > 0:34:00costs to keep it clean, it's astronomical at the moment.
0:34:00 > 0:34:02You have to watch where you sit, cos
0:34:02 > 0:34:05they're not frightened any more, are they?
0:34:05 > 0:34:08It's a nice little area, we want to keep it nice for the shoppers.
0:34:08 > 0:34:09I know!
0:34:09 > 0:34:12- There's signs everywhere. - They were all blacked off.
0:34:12 > 0:34:14I know, we've just cleaned them.
0:34:14 > 0:34:18Yeah, I don't think he'd even got around the corner there before
0:34:18 > 0:34:20someone else was feeding them.
0:34:20 > 0:34:22With support from Robert and at least one of Tameside's
0:34:22 > 0:34:26residents, Brian's fight against his feathered foes -
0:34:26 > 0:34:30and the less considerate locals that keep feeding them - goes on.
0:34:30 > 0:34:32I mean, people have been moaning,
0:34:32 > 0:34:34saying, "Is that all he's got to do is clean signs all day?"
0:34:34 > 0:34:37But it's not the point. These have cost money and we're trying to clear
0:34:37 > 0:34:41up the area, so people can sit here and have a bite to eat in their
0:34:41 > 0:34:44dinner time and this is the thanks that you get!
0:34:44 > 0:34:47It's just pointless, it really is!
0:34:55 > 0:34:58Across town, Monica's colleague Khush has also enlisted some
0:34:58 > 0:35:00specialist help.
0:35:01 > 0:35:04In an effort to clear the drains behind the takeaway whose
0:35:04 > 0:35:07sewage pipes were blocked and providing an open invitation
0:35:07 > 0:35:12to rats, Khush has called in the utilities cavalry.
0:35:12 > 0:35:14You can see around the chamber that
0:35:14 > 0:35:18there's evidence of grease and fat around the chamber there.
0:35:18 > 0:35:22We've checked the manhole outside
0:35:22 > 0:35:24to see what the situation is inside.
0:35:24 > 0:35:27Because the problem seems to lie in the shared sewage
0:35:27 > 0:35:30pipes beyond the takeaway's boundary,
0:35:30 > 0:35:34the responsibility to clear them lies with the utilities company.
0:35:34 > 0:35:37But if the drains aren't cleared, Khush could still be forced to
0:35:37 > 0:35:42close the takeaway and remove any risk to public health.
0:35:42 > 0:35:45If you can show that there's an imminent risk of food being
0:35:45 > 0:35:47contaminated, we have to take that
0:35:47 > 0:35:50decision, we have to go down that route.
0:35:50 > 0:35:55OK, so this section's all been a small amount of water.
0:35:55 > 0:36:01Again, if you look at the top of the water there, we've got fat, oils...
0:36:01 > 0:36:03- OK...- We'll carry out some work now
0:36:03 > 0:36:08to identify what's causing that blockage.
0:36:08 > 0:36:13It's a dirty job, one Khush has first-hand experience of.
0:36:15 > 0:36:19When I was a student, I used to go out with the drainage guys
0:36:19 > 0:36:21and when they would actually jet a drain to
0:36:21 > 0:36:25clear the blockage, they used to say to you, go and stand
0:36:25 > 0:36:29at the next drain to see whether it's been cleared, and as they would
0:36:29 > 0:36:36jet it, with a really high-powered jet, all the faeces and all the
0:36:36 > 0:36:41foul water would actually, literally, just come up and spray you whilst
0:36:41 > 0:36:42you were looking down the drain.
0:36:42 > 0:36:44And that's their sort of initiation
0:36:44 > 0:36:49to drainage work, and that happened quite often to a lot of students.
0:36:51 > 0:36:5430 years on, Khush has learned to love the job that takes him
0:36:54 > 0:36:56to all the best places.
0:36:57 > 0:37:01We certainly come across, you know, the whole range of work.
0:37:01 > 0:37:04And that's dealing with filthy and verminous houses
0:37:04 > 0:37:08to, you know, to dirty kitchens.
0:37:08 > 0:37:13In terms of glamorous, I don't think, you know, you could describe the job
0:37:13 > 0:37:16as glamorous, really, in that respect.
0:37:18 > 0:37:21While Khush observes from a safe distance today,
0:37:21 > 0:37:23the utility guys hit a problem.
0:37:25 > 0:37:29Looks like I may need a larger unit to come out.
0:37:29 > 0:37:32There's some quite large pieces of debris
0:37:32 > 0:37:37which you'd struggle to get up this smaller type of tube.
0:37:37 > 0:37:39- Right.- If we get a bigger unit
0:37:39 > 0:37:42we've a bigger capacity and a larger tube to take that out.
0:37:43 > 0:37:45Coming up:
0:37:45 > 0:37:49Khush's last-ditch attempt to clear the drains
0:37:49 > 0:37:51hits a snag.
0:37:51 > 0:37:53Are you going to be able to get that pipe out?
0:37:53 > 0:37:54Um, we won't get it with that
0:37:54 > 0:37:56but we'll get it out one way or another.
0:38:05 > 0:38:08Khush and his colleagues nationwide are battling to do
0:38:08 > 0:38:10their best for the residents they serve,
0:38:10 > 0:38:14but council officers across the land don't always get the best press.
0:38:15 > 0:38:16It's just unfortunate sometimes
0:38:16 > 0:38:19that we're portrayed in the media as officials
0:38:19 > 0:38:22who just go round with clipboards and have these big checklists,
0:38:22 > 0:38:26and we go through these checklists, but that's not the case.
0:38:26 > 0:38:29There's a perception that if council workers are digging a hole -
0:38:29 > 0:38:32three watching and one working.
0:38:32 > 0:38:34I mean that's something
0:38:34 > 0:38:37That's something that harks back to the 1950s, I would have thought.
0:38:37 > 0:38:41I've been up to my waist in sewage
0:38:41 > 0:38:45that had been coming into people's property and we've been trying to
0:38:45 > 0:38:47get a drain unblocked
0:38:47 > 0:38:50so that the water levels don't rise.
0:38:50 > 0:38:55So you have to have a very strong stomach in this job, yes.
0:38:55 > 0:38:58Somebody's quite welcome to spend a week in my shoes to tell me
0:38:58 > 0:39:00that I'm a bone-idle, lazy council worker.
0:39:00 > 0:39:04By all means feel free to come and I think they'll have
0:39:04 > 0:39:07a different opinion at the end of the seven days.
0:39:18 > 0:39:21Back on site, Khush's battle to clear fat,
0:39:21 > 0:39:25grease and bricks from the collapsed drains is gathering momentum.
0:39:27 > 0:39:30Having failed to clear the underground chambers with
0:39:30 > 0:39:34their standard tanker, the utilities company has brought in the big guns.
0:39:37 > 0:39:40Finally, with this 3,000-litre tanker,
0:39:40 > 0:39:44the debris lodged in the drain can begin to be cleared.
0:39:44 > 0:39:46That's the extent of the problem,
0:39:46 > 0:39:50where you've got whole bricks that have fallen into the chamber
0:39:50 > 0:39:54and that are part of the blockage.
0:39:54 > 0:39:58And you can see the number of bricks that are being retrieved.
0:39:58 > 0:40:03And these have fallen in from the chamber over a period of time.
0:40:03 > 0:40:06Again I think it just shows the extent,
0:40:06 > 0:40:09or the extent of the problem that we have here.
0:40:09 > 0:40:13Not necessarily all the other foods, and the fats
0:40:13 > 0:40:17and the oils - it's the age of the chamber itself
0:40:17 > 0:40:19that's disintegrating.
0:40:22 > 0:40:24But even 21st-century super tankers
0:40:24 > 0:40:26can get stumped by Victorian plumbing.
0:40:26 > 0:40:31So that's actually dropped off, hasn't it, from the connection there?
0:40:31 > 0:40:34That pipework's just dropped off from the connection.
0:40:34 > 0:40:37That's supposed to go straight down and then straight into the invert.
0:40:37 > 0:40:40- Will you be able to get that pipe out?- Yeah.
0:40:40 > 0:40:42Yeah? Using this?
0:40:42 > 0:40:44Um, I don't think we'll get it with that
0:40:44 > 0:40:46but we'll it out one way or another.
0:40:46 > 0:40:49But ultimately there's no real substitute
0:40:49 > 0:40:52for some rope and old-fashioned, hands-on expertise.
0:40:52 > 0:40:53Get the old lasso out here.
0:40:59 > 0:41:00After weeks of investigation
0:41:00 > 0:41:04and some hard graft, the chambers are finally cleared
0:41:04 > 0:41:07but now it's down to the takeaway to ensure that their waste
0:41:07 > 0:41:11doesn't affect the shared sewage network and block the drains again.
0:41:11 > 0:41:14I mean, we're going to follow this up now
0:41:14 > 0:41:16with the restaurant owner.
0:41:16 > 0:41:20Advising him really to install a grease trap
0:41:20 > 0:41:24so that none of the oils and the fats go directly into the drain.
0:41:24 > 0:41:28And when the grease trap is installed,
0:41:28 > 0:41:31that can be emptied on a regular basis.
0:41:31 > 0:41:33It's all about education, really.
0:41:35 > 0:41:38For now, the takeaway can continue to operate without
0:41:38 > 0:41:42the threat of rats returning or sewage contaminating their kitchen.
0:41:42 > 0:41:45I didn't like it when the first problem occurred
0:41:45 > 0:41:47about the sewage
0:41:47 > 0:41:51and it's not my fault. But at the moment I'm happy
0:41:51 > 0:41:53that everything has been sorted out
0:41:53 > 0:41:57because it's only been three months I'm in this business
0:41:57 > 0:41:59so things are running smoothly now.
0:42:02 > 0:42:03It's a very good result.
0:42:03 > 0:42:05In terms of dealing with the business,
0:42:05 > 0:42:07our main aim was to make sure
0:42:07 > 0:42:10that there was no risk of contamination from
0:42:10 > 0:42:12any drainage work,
0:42:12 > 0:42:15or any drainage problems affecting the food business.
0:42:15 > 0:42:17So that means chicken kebabs all round!
0:42:20 > 0:42:22Once again, the country's
0:42:22 > 0:42:25dedicated council officers have been hard at work.
0:42:27 > 0:42:30These local heroes have been busy fighting fires.
0:42:30 > 0:42:32Stuff like tyres and asbestos...
0:42:32 > 0:42:34there's no way you can burn that.
0:42:34 > 0:42:37Ridding the region of rats and seeping sewage.
0:42:37 > 0:42:39This drain is so blocked.
0:42:39 > 0:42:42I've already cleared this once.
0:42:42 > 0:42:44And the battle to reduce the pigeon population
0:42:44 > 0:42:47and educate those that feed them goes on.
0:42:47 > 0:42:51I'll win this war against the pigeons. Not a problem.
0:42:51 > 0:42:55It's all in a day's work when we call the council.
0:42:55 > 0:43:00The satisfaction of the job is really to help people
0:43:00 > 0:43:03and to protect the people of Tameside,
0:43:03 > 0:43:06and particularly the old and the vulnerable.