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 > 0:00:20In this series, we follow the front-line staff
0:00:20 > 0:00:24working behind the walls of Tameside Town Hall in Greater Manchester.
0:00:26 > 0:00:29Like council officers across the country,
0:00:29 > 0:00:34these local heroes are 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 > 0:00:41The business owner's got a duty to make sure
0:00:41 > 0:00:43that he is protecting his business
0:00:43 > 0:00:46and the people that are coming in to buy food from his business.
0:00:46 > 0:00:50..making sure our cash is spent on those who need it most...
0:00:50 > 0:00:53I'm at a loose end. I do not know where to turn.
0:00:53 > 0:00:57..and responding to their residents when they call the council.
0:01:03 > 0:01:05Coming up in today's programme -
0:01:05 > 0:01:09the Rosses call the council to complain about noisy neighbours...
0:01:09 > 0:01:12It's just every single day. There's just, like, no off to it.
0:01:12 > 0:01:14- Whereabouts is it?- There.
0:01:14 > 0:01:18An elderly resident needs help when a colony of angry wasps move in...
0:01:18 > 0:01:21It's a good day today, but not for wasps.
0:01:21 > 0:01:24..and officers need to act fast after locals report
0:01:24 > 0:01:28disease-carrying rats running free near restaurants and takeaways.
0:01:28 > 0:01:30If there's rodent activity in your kitchen,
0:01:30 > 0:01:32you won't be opening tonight. It's that simple.
0:01:43 > 0:01:48The UK's 433 local councils employ nearly two million people.
0:01:48 > 0:01:51Be it trading standards or social services,
0:01:51 > 0:01:55highways or waste management, these local heroes are busy making sure
0:01:55 > 0:02:00their residents are safe and their taxes put to the best possible use.
0:02:00 > 0:02:02Good morning. Tameside Council.
0:02:03 > 0:02:05You seem to have a problem with rats?
0:02:05 > 0:02:09Yeah, I can put you through to the pest control department, thank you.
0:02:11 > 0:02:14When someone calls for help in Tameside,
0:02:14 > 0:02:17four miles due east of Manchester's city centre,
0:02:17 > 0:02:21the council's got someone to do even the dirtiest of jobs.
0:02:21 > 0:02:25It could be rats, mice, could be cockroaches. You name it, we do it.
0:02:26 > 0:02:29Today, Pest Control Officer Brian Whelan's responding to a call
0:02:29 > 0:02:32from a concerned resident who's spotted a rat.
0:02:32 > 0:02:35- See yous later.- See you later, Brian.
0:02:37 > 0:02:39Rats spread disease and spoil food.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42Estimates suggest there are over ten million of them in the UK,
0:02:42 > 0:02:46and as their numbers grow, so does the cost to the taxpayer
0:02:46 > 0:02:49as council officers like Brian try to eliminate them.
0:02:49 > 0:02:51We're going to a place now -
0:02:51 > 0:02:54a lady reported rats around her back area,
0:02:54 > 0:02:55so I'm going to have a look.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00But Brian and his colleagues face an uphill battle.
0:03:03 > 0:03:06Warmer weather means rats are surviving longer.
0:03:07 > 0:03:10This, together with a rise in litter, waste,
0:03:10 > 0:03:11and even bird-feeding,
0:03:11 > 0:03:15means that their sources of food are plentiful and as a result,
0:03:15 > 0:03:17the rat population is thriving.
0:03:17 > 0:03:19What are you getting now, Brian?
0:03:19 > 0:03:22I'm just going to get something to prod around these bushes
0:03:22 > 0:03:25at the back and that, and see whether we can see anything.
0:03:28 > 0:03:31Something like a rake, just have a look.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34The resident who called Brian spotted rats in an alleyway
0:03:34 > 0:03:37that runs behind a row of restaurants and takeaways.
0:03:38 > 0:03:41Hopefully, we've got access through this gate.
0:03:41 > 0:03:44Rats and restaurants don't mix.
0:03:44 > 0:03:46There you go.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49If rats are nearby, there's a serious public health risk.
0:03:50 > 0:03:53Brian needs to find them and their food source fast.
0:03:57 > 0:04:01(If you look down there... there's a rat's tail there.)
0:04:05 > 0:04:07METAL CLANGS
0:04:08 > 0:04:10Oh, great, me bins have gone in!
0:04:16 > 0:04:19I'm trying to get me bins back, pardon the pun.
0:04:21 > 0:04:23Otherwise I won't see a bloody thing.
0:04:25 > 0:04:27Oh, I don't believe that...
0:04:27 > 0:04:29This rat's had a lucky escape.
0:04:29 > 0:04:31Brian's lost his prey, and his glasses.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36So, as you can see, there was one definitely in there.
0:04:36 > 0:04:38Unfortunately...I've missed it.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41I don't think it's playing ball, to be honest.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44From his regular run-ins with the rat fraternity,
0:04:44 > 0:04:47Brian's formed some strong opinions on their way of life.
0:04:47 > 0:04:49They don't have any morals.
0:04:51 > 0:04:52The mum will mate with the son.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55The son will mate with the sister, the dad will mate with the daughter.
0:04:55 > 0:04:57They are not like the human race, you know what I mean?
0:04:57 > 0:04:59We have morals, so...
0:04:59 > 0:05:04I'm just a bit peeved...that this one's not come out of here.
0:05:06 > 0:05:08But Brian shouldn't be too disheartened
0:05:08 > 0:05:10because rats can have as many as six litters
0:05:10 > 0:05:12of up to ten babies a year.
0:05:12 > 0:05:15So, if there's one rat here, there's bound to be more nearby.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20If you look there you can see - if you look closely -
0:05:20 > 0:05:23that that's a rat run. See how smooth the soil is?
0:05:25 > 0:05:28There's no way the soil would be that smooth with this over it.
0:05:30 > 0:05:34That's a decayed one, that's been dead for a long, long time.
0:05:35 > 0:05:38And that was laid that way.
0:05:38 > 0:05:40So, they're running in and out,
0:05:40 > 0:05:43they're going in the backs of these places and they've got a food source.
0:05:44 > 0:05:48If rats have accessed one of the nearby restaurants,
0:05:48 > 0:05:52the public are at serious risk from diseases like Weil's, listeria,
0:05:52 > 0:05:53and even salmonella.
0:05:57 > 0:05:59Coming up - Brian brings in reinforcements
0:05:59 > 0:06:03as more rats are spotted in a restaurant's back yard.
0:06:03 > 0:06:05- Oh, just seen one there. - Seen one there?
0:06:05 > 0:06:08There was a rat, just running behind that blue bin there.
0:06:15 > 0:06:17Local heroes like Brian
0:06:17 > 0:06:20are on the front line in the fight to keep the borough safe
0:06:20 > 0:06:23and most of Brian and his colleagues' jobs start
0:06:23 > 0:06:25when people call the council.
0:06:25 > 0:06:28Good morning, Customer Services, can I help you?
0:06:28 > 0:06:33The council's call centre handles nearly 180,000 calls every year.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36Welcome to Tameside Council. Karen speaking. How can I help?
0:06:36 > 0:06:38Staff here try to help everyone,
0:06:38 > 0:06:41but some issues are easier to solve than others.
0:06:41 > 0:06:42You get all sorts of enquiries.
0:06:42 > 0:06:46The questions that you get asked are just... Oh, they're just bizarre.
0:06:46 > 0:06:48I've had a gentleman who asked me
0:06:48 > 0:06:50if I could help him get rubbish out of his back passage.
0:06:50 > 0:06:52Yes, we deal with that here.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55It was one of those "Can you bear with me?" moments
0:06:55 > 0:06:58where you just have a little bit of a chuckle, go back on the phone,
0:06:58 > 0:06:59and take it from the beginning again.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02"I presume you have an alleyway and somebody's left some rubbish."
0:07:02 > 0:07:04Yes, is the answer and we'll deal with it.
0:07:04 > 0:07:06That was weird!
0:07:06 > 0:07:09We had one person in particular and he asked if he needed a licence
0:07:09 > 0:07:12to own a crocodile and I just thought,
0:07:12 > 0:07:14"Where have you got a crocodile from?!"
0:07:14 > 0:07:17Let me just check the system, one moment, thank you.
0:07:17 > 0:07:21I thought the only people who would actually have a licence probably would be the zoo.
0:07:21 > 0:07:23That's where you'd want to keep one. I wouldn't like to think
0:07:23 > 0:07:26someone's got one in their back garden!
0:07:26 > 0:07:28Right, thank you, bye.
0:07:30 > 0:07:34Back on the road, a resident has alerted pest control officer Brian
0:07:34 > 0:07:36to something a little less exotic.
0:07:38 > 0:07:42Brian's worried because rats - attracted by waste and food stores -
0:07:42 > 0:07:45could be present in the kitchens of nearby restaurants
0:07:45 > 0:07:48and might be spreading diseases like listeria and salmonella.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53Definitely been at that, haven't they? It's all chewed.
0:07:55 > 0:07:56With a little help from a neighbour,
0:07:56 > 0:07:58he catches a fleeting glimpse of his prey.
0:08:00 > 0:08:02Oh! HE MUTTERS
0:08:02 > 0:08:03Catch it, did you see it? No?
0:08:03 > 0:08:06'They can be crafty, they can be canny...'
0:08:06 > 0:08:09and it's...disappointing that you can't find it,
0:08:09 > 0:08:11really is, it gets me...
0:08:11 > 0:08:13It sticks in me throat a little bit, cos...
0:08:13 > 0:08:16I just like getting a good result. HE CHUCKLES
0:08:16 > 0:08:19Having seen rats in such close proximity
0:08:19 > 0:08:20to a number of food outlets,
0:08:20 > 0:08:23Brian's called in Environmental Health Officer
0:08:23 > 0:08:25Bev Hursthouse for support.
0:08:25 > 0:08:27The problem in my line of work,
0:08:27 > 0:08:30people just not really looking after their surroundings,
0:08:30 > 0:08:32not putting rubbish away properly,
0:08:32 > 0:08:36because obviously if a rat or rats have got in to a food business,
0:08:36 > 0:08:39then we've got a problem. There is a risk to health there.
0:08:39 > 0:08:43- Hi, Brian.- I'll show you the back area first, yeah?
0:08:43 > 0:08:46Bev and Brian have been working together for seven years.
0:08:46 > 0:08:50He's good at his job. There's not anything he couldn't tell you
0:08:50 > 0:08:52about rats, mice, cockroaches.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55Take your time, don't rush like a bull.
0:08:55 > 0:08:56You've got to play with them.
0:08:56 > 0:08:59He takes his job very, very serious, which is good,
0:08:59 > 0:09:02but there's the comedy factor that comes with him.
0:09:02 > 0:09:06- Do we know what day collection day is for this?- Not a clue.
0:09:06 > 0:09:07Little blighters.
0:09:09 > 0:09:11Brian and Bev's detective work leads them
0:09:11 > 0:09:14into the back yard of a restaurant.
0:09:14 > 0:09:15From Environmental Health!
0:09:15 > 0:09:18- BEV KNOCKS - Oh, I just seen one there.
0:09:18 > 0:09:19Just seen one there?
0:09:19 > 0:09:22There was a rat just running behind that blue bin there.
0:09:23 > 0:09:25Can't see it.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28Eagle-eyed Bev spots a rat, but Brian's found the shed
0:09:28 > 0:09:31that the restaurant's been using to store its raw ingredients in.
0:09:31 > 0:09:33I can see rat droppings in here.
0:09:35 > 0:09:37Oh.
0:09:37 > 0:09:39The restaurant's recently changed its name,
0:09:39 > 0:09:42and undergone some interior refurbishment.
0:09:42 > 0:09:46But manager Farouk doesn't seem to have paid attention to areas
0:09:46 > 0:09:49his customers don't see and it could mean his business
0:09:49 > 0:09:52is closed down before it's even had a chance to get going again.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57- This passage is very bad.- Yeah, it is, you're absolutely right.
0:09:57 > 0:09:59But just have a quick look in this yard.
0:09:59 > 0:10:01What do you think that I'm going to tell you about?
0:10:01 > 0:10:03No, we actually did some refurbishment,
0:10:03 > 0:10:06so we're going to look for somebody, we're going to phone them
0:10:06 > 0:10:09and they're going to come tomorrow and clean all this up.
0:10:09 > 0:10:12The promised clean-up might be imminent, but the rats have already
0:10:12 > 0:10:17contaminated food that could have been served to paying customers.
0:10:17 > 0:10:19Here we go. Here's their food source.
0:10:22 > 0:10:26- That's a rat.- All of what's in there has to be discarded.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29- It cannot be used, in there.- Right.
0:10:31 > 0:10:33That's rat bite. That's rat.
0:10:33 > 0:10:35That and that are what the rats have done.
0:10:35 > 0:10:39- So, before I go now, can we get this food put in that bin?- Yeah, yeah.
0:10:39 > 0:10:41Let's get the chefs out, then.
0:10:42 > 0:10:45So, everything, if we can take it out of that netting
0:10:45 > 0:10:46and pop it into the brown bin.
0:10:50 > 0:10:51Coleslaw!
0:10:55 > 0:10:59Destroying this contaminated food will hit Farouk hard in the pocket.
0:10:59 > 0:11:03But he's got even bigger problems because the future of his restaurant
0:11:03 > 0:11:07and its staff's livelihood is also now in jeopardy.
0:11:08 > 0:11:11What you've done, you've focused... You've painted the walls
0:11:11 > 0:11:14and you've made it nice for the areas where the customers can see.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17OK? My concern, and what your concern should be,
0:11:17 > 0:11:20at this moment in time is what the customers can't see.
0:11:20 > 0:11:22What's happening is, your back yard,
0:11:22 > 0:11:25you're leaving it there as a food source for them.
0:11:25 > 0:11:29So, at this present moment, you are causing the problem,
0:11:29 > 0:11:32not these across the road who are complaining.
0:11:32 > 0:11:34- Give us a week. - I can't give you a week. OK?
0:11:34 > 0:11:37Because I've just physically seen the rat in the yard myself
0:11:37 > 0:11:38with your kitchen door wide open.
0:11:38 > 0:11:40First off, we need to keep that door closed.
0:11:40 > 0:11:42I'm going to go in there and I'm going to check to see
0:11:42 > 0:11:44if there's any rodent activity in your kitchen.
0:11:44 > 0:11:48If there is, you will not be opening tonight, it's that simple. Yes?
0:11:48 > 0:11:50'Closure is the final option.'
0:11:50 > 0:11:51It's an absolute last resort.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54We kind of want to put everything else...
0:11:54 > 0:11:57or try and put everything else right before that option, really.
0:11:57 > 0:12:00To avoid being shut down,
0:12:00 > 0:12:02manager Farouk needs to convince Brian and Bev
0:12:02 > 0:12:06that the rats haven't made it into his kitchen.
0:12:06 > 0:12:10The problem we have, that hole I've seen the rat quite close to
0:12:10 > 0:12:12is directly into your kitchen.
0:12:12 > 0:12:14- So, we've got a bit of a problem, really.- Mmm.
0:12:14 > 0:12:18- See how black it is, how smooth it is?- Yeah.- Yeah?
0:12:18 > 0:12:22Rats are coming in and out constantly.
0:12:22 > 0:12:24The hole needs to be blocked immediately.
0:12:24 > 0:12:26Have you got any more of these?
0:12:26 > 0:12:28Brian uses wire wool to do the job.
0:12:28 > 0:12:31It's a good temporary fix,
0:12:31 > 0:12:33as rats can't chew through it.
0:12:33 > 0:12:36They've been very lucky, there's no droppings in here.
0:12:36 > 0:12:39Brian and Bev might not have found any hard evidence
0:12:39 > 0:12:41of contamination in the kitchen,
0:12:41 > 0:12:44but rat activity outside is undeniable.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49As a result, Farouk is forced to close his restaurant
0:12:49 > 0:12:52for 48 hours and try to make it safe.
0:12:53 > 0:12:58By Friday, what we need to do is make sure that this area is cleared.
0:12:58 > 0:13:00The holes need to be filled in,
0:13:00 > 0:13:05then I'll come back on Friday and look at the work that you've done.
0:13:05 > 0:13:08They've focused so much attention on getting the paintwork the right colour,
0:13:08 > 0:13:10and the tablecloths looking nice,
0:13:10 > 0:13:12but they're missing the important bits,
0:13:12 > 0:13:16which is the bit that could kill somebody or make somebody poorly.
0:13:16 > 0:13:20If the restaurant fails to clean up its act, Bev could close it
0:13:20 > 0:13:23until she decides there's no longer a risk to public health.
0:13:37 > 0:13:39Our council taxes help fund the work of
0:13:39 > 0:13:40officers like Bev and Brian.
0:13:42 > 0:13:46And because we're footing the bill, everyone has an opinion
0:13:46 > 0:13:49on their local council and whether they're getting value for money.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52The role of the council now has changed a lot.
0:13:52 > 0:13:54Obviously, it's because of cutbacks.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56But it's like everything else,
0:13:56 > 0:13:58you've got to go with the flow, haven't you?
0:14:00 > 0:14:02I mean, they should be concentrating on
0:14:02 > 0:14:05talking to people. What do you want us to do with this money?
0:14:05 > 0:14:07After all, it's our money.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10We pay their wages as well. I think they tend to forget that.
0:14:12 > 0:14:13I like the council workers.
0:14:15 > 0:14:18But as regards the council, I think they're bloody rubbish!
0:14:21 > 0:14:22We have a property over there
0:14:22 > 0:14:26where the council stopped a certain person parking his car
0:14:26 > 0:14:27by putting bollards there.
0:14:27 > 0:14:31Now, they will spend money putting bollards to stop someone parking,
0:14:31 > 0:14:35but then when they ask them to move rubbish, they can't do it.
0:14:35 > 0:14:38I mean, what's that about?
0:14:39 > 0:14:42Everybody, I think, will have a moan.
0:14:42 > 0:14:46It's easier to have a moan and to look at the negatives of things,
0:14:46 > 0:14:49rather than looking at the positives.
0:14:49 > 0:14:51And it's not just Tameside Council.
0:14:51 > 0:14:55I think everyone has issues all over the country.
0:14:58 > 0:15:01In 2012, UK councils received
0:15:01 > 0:15:05150,000 calls and issued
0:15:05 > 0:15:069,000 abatement notices
0:15:06 > 0:15:09relating to one issue alone - noise.
0:15:09 > 0:15:12Noisy neighbours are a problem for ten million of us,
0:15:12 > 0:15:15and when things get too much, we call the council.
0:15:15 > 0:15:19When neighbours get to have a dislike for one other,
0:15:19 > 0:15:22sometimes, that can roll on for years and years.
0:15:22 > 0:15:24There's no resolving it until one of them moves.
0:15:24 > 0:15:26In Tameside, the Ross family
0:15:26 > 0:15:29has been complaining to the council
0:15:29 > 0:15:31about the noise coming from one of their neighbours
0:15:31 > 0:15:32for more than ten years.
0:15:33 > 0:15:38Gary Ross, his wife Karen and 23-year-old daughter Natalie
0:15:38 > 0:15:42have lived in the same house for nearly a quarter of a century.
0:15:42 > 0:15:47They say all was fine until their neighbours moved in 14 years ago.
0:15:47 > 0:15:5014 years in December, it's been going on.
0:15:50 > 0:15:53And he told me, when he first moved in, "It is my life, my lifestyle,
0:15:53 > 0:15:56- "and you just have to put up with it."- Yeah.
0:15:56 > 0:15:58- We don't know where to turn. - We don't know where to turn.
0:15:58 > 0:16:02You know, people can say, you're mithering, it's over nothing,
0:16:02 > 0:16:04but it's not. It is really affecting us.
0:16:04 > 0:16:09It's that bad you just want to knock on their door basically and say,
0:16:09 > 0:16:12"For crying out loud, let us have a bit of peace and quiet."
0:16:15 > 0:16:18But the Rosses haven't spoken to their neighbours.
0:16:18 > 0:16:21Instead, they've called Council Officer Phil Rodgers.
0:16:21 > 0:16:24I have to deal with people who commit noise nuisance,
0:16:24 > 0:16:27or allegedly commit noise nuisance. It's mostly a lot of stuff
0:16:27 > 0:16:30under Section 79 of the Environmental Protection Act
0:16:30 > 0:16:32which is nuisance prejudicial to health issues.
0:16:33 > 0:16:37It's Natalie Ross who appears most affected by the alleged noise
0:16:37 > 0:16:38from next door.
0:16:38 > 0:16:41She's complaining of headaches and lack of sleep.
0:16:41 > 0:16:45It's just every single day and there's just no off to it.
0:16:45 > 0:16:50You just can't have a life or a weekend or anything.
0:16:54 > 0:16:56It's just horrendous.
0:17:00 > 0:17:05The Rosses need a hero, so today Phil's on his way to investigate.
0:17:05 > 0:17:08As a local authority, we're bound to respond to any complaints
0:17:08 > 0:17:12that Mr Ross makes to us in order to investigate them thoroughly
0:17:12 > 0:17:15to ensure that there isn't a statutory nuisance.
0:17:16 > 0:17:19Despite these reasonably thorough investigations,
0:17:19 > 0:17:23we've never been able to gain sufficient evidence...
0:17:23 > 0:17:27in order to take any enforcement action against his neighbour.
0:17:29 > 0:17:33The Rosses' neighbours dispute every claim made against them and
0:17:33 > 0:17:37Phil, along with his colleague Pete Grimes, can only take action if
0:17:37 > 0:17:39they witness and record noise levels
0:17:39 > 0:17:42that could legally be labelled a nuisance.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45They base this judgment on years of experience.
0:17:45 > 0:17:49Some people have some real issues once they get it into their head
0:17:49 > 0:17:51that a noise is occurring.
0:17:51 > 0:17:53Hiya. Is it Natalie?
0:17:53 > 0:17:55Is it all right if we come in, yeah?
0:17:55 > 0:17:58But we're talking about the legal aspect of enforcement.
0:17:58 > 0:18:02And it's important, if I have to stand up in court and accuse
0:18:02 > 0:18:05somebody of doing something, I have to be able to a) prove that
0:18:05 > 0:18:08beyond all reasonable doubt and I have to show that I've followed
0:18:08 > 0:18:10the right processes and protocols.
0:18:10 > 0:18:14The problem is, erm, there's an extractor fan which is attached
0:18:14 > 0:18:18to a hole where a boiler was fitted. And it's just
0:18:18 > 0:18:21really, really loud and I just can't sleep. I've got earplugs in.
0:18:21 > 0:18:24He'll leave it on and then he'll go downstairs.
0:18:24 > 0:18:26If we go to the toilet in the middle of the night,
0:18:26 > 0:18:28- I have my bathroom windows open, you can hear it. - IMITATES DRONE
0:18:28 > 0:18:31How long does it go on for when he switches it on?
0:18:31 > 0:18:34It just depends. It just depends. I mean, it's horrendous.
0:18:34 > 0:18:38Right, OK, well, we'll put this in. We'll record for a full week.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41So if sometimes it's loud and sometimes it's not, it should,
0:18:41 > 0:18:44if we get enough recordings it should take into account
0:18:44 > 0:18:47any inconsistencies in the amount of noise it creates.
0:18:47 > 0:18:51This is a piece of sound recording equipment. Very expensive.
0:18:51 > 0:18:55It will record the decibel level and the duration.
0:18:55 > 0:19:00If it's loud enough, frequent enough to cause nuisance, then we can act
0:19:00 > 0:19:03and do something to stop it. We'll just check it's recording,
0:19:03 > 0:19:05so we'll record it at that level.
0:19:07 > 0:19:12So we'll have recorded that. We can turn that off now.
0:19:12 > 0:19:16- If I leave that, is that gonna be in your way there?- No, it's fine.
0:19:18 > 0:19:21Fine. All right, thank you. All right, thanks a lot.
0:19:22 > 0:19:26Obviously we'll have to find out how loud that is and how frequent it is
0:19:26 > 0:19:28and how disturbing it is to them.
0:19:28 > 0:19:32Before we can start to look at whether we need to intervene or not.
0:19:32 > 0:19:34Recording equipment installed,
0:19:34 > 0:19:37the Rosses have a week to capture any evidence that will support
0:19:37 > 0:19:40their claims about the noise coming from next door.
0:19:49 > 0:19:53As well as spending public money responsibly and effectively,
0:19:53 > 0:19:56local councils nationwide need to be open,
0:19:56 > 0:20:00accountable and ready to respond whenever their residents need them.
0:20:00 > 0:20:04Today, 78-year-old great grandmother Anne Hardman has called
0:20:04 > 0:20:09the council because some unwelcome wasps have moved into her eaves.
0:20:09 > 0:20:12The gardener spotted it last Wednesday.
0:20:12 > 0:20:16I think this is the third nest we've had since we came to live here.
0:20:16 > 0:20:19The third nest. I'm afraid my husband, had he been here,
0:20:19 > 0:20:22would have been at it with the blow-lamp. Very naughty!
0:20:24 > 0:20:27Wasp colonies are started by a single female
0:20:27 > 0:20:31but can grow to include more than 5,000 individuals.
0:20:31 > 0:20:35A wasp in distress releases a pheromone that sends nearby wasps
0:20:35 > 0:20:38into a defensive, stinging frenzy.
0:20:38 > 0:20:42Pest control officer Brian Whelan and his assistant Geoff Dale
0:20:42 > 0:20:46are en route to help this damsel in distress.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49I love it, I love the job, because you know you're going to give
0:20:49 > 0:20:52a service to someone, you're going to go out and help them.
0:20:52 > 0:20:56It's like their cry for help, so you go out and you sort the problem out.
0:20:56 > 0:20:57Right, let's go!
0:20:59 > 0:21:02Brian attends over 90 wasp-related call-outs every year.
0:21:04 > 0:21:06Is it this one?
0:21:06 > 0:21:09So he takes this kind of job in his stride.
0:21:16 > 0:21:18- Yes!- Hello, my sweet. Pest control.
0:21:18 > 0:21:21- I know.- I'm here to do your wasp nest. Whereabouts is it?
0:21:21 > 0:21:24- There.- Have I walked past it? Didn't even see it.
0:21:24 > 0:21:28Old ladies are nice. I do like helping old ladies.
0:21:28 > 0:21:32Ably assisted by Geoff, Brian gets ready to face his latest foes
0:21:32 > 0:21:35and make sure he can enjoy the weekend.
0:21:35 > 0:21:38It's Friday. I don't want to get stung. Cheers, mate.
0:21:40 > 0:21:42Superb.
0:21:42 > 0:21:46Protective clothing on and armed with a powerful anti-wasp powder,
0:21:46 > 0:21:48Brian prepares to do battle.
0:21:48 > 0:21:51Diddly-dee, diddly-dee, diddly-do...
0:21:54 > 0:21:59I've got the powder going into the hole the wasps are going in and out of.
0:21:59 > 0:22:01I'll attack it from both sides.
0:22:02 > 0:22:05Despite the fear wasps generate for us humans,
0:22:05 > 0:22:08because they prey on nearly every pest insect on earth,
0:22:08 > 0:22:11they can be very beneficial. But Brian isn't a fan.
0:22:13 > 0:22:16I hate wasps, I think they're horrible. They're just evil.
0:22:16 > 0:22:19They sting people for no reason whatsoever.
0:22:19 > 0:22:22I don't think wasps have got a purpose in life, to be honest.
0:22:24 > 0:22:29Brian says wasps sting you. Having said that, I've only been stung
0:22:29 > 0:22:32a couple of times in life, two or three times in my life.
0:22:32 > 0:22:38But my favourite insects are spiders. They get rid of flies and if I see
0:22:38 > 0:22:40them in the house, I just leave them. Yeah.
0:22:40 > 0:22:42I think spiders are a good thing.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45I mean, I like bumblebees as well. Yeah.
0:22:48 > 0:22:51Look at them now, they're all coming in. They're not happy.
0:22:53 > 0:22:56When that happens, you know you've got the nest, the area,
0:22:56 > 0:23:00because they're all piling back now trying to save the queen.
0:23:01 > 0:23:04With the nest dusted, Brian's work is done.
0:23:04 > 0:23:06All that's needed now is a signature.
0:23:06 > 0:23:10Tell you what, you've got to take long strides here, haven't you?
0:23:13 > 0:23:15We'll just nip in and do the paperwork, my love.
0:23:15 > 0:23:17I'd like to think people appreciate me.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20I like to think that people, after I've done a job,
0:23:20 > 0:23:23it's like when you... It's a funny scenario, cos when you do a job,
0:23:23 > 0:23:26you always turn round and say, "Thanks very much,
0:23:26 > 0:23:27"I'll see you again."
0:23:27 > 0:23:29And nine times out of ten you hear in the background,
0:23:29 > 0:23:32"I bloody hope not, I hope I won't see you again!"
0:23:32 > 0:23:35- I'm delighted with your service. - Thank you very much.
0:23:36 > 0:23:39- Thank you, my love. - Another happy customer.
0:23:39 > 0:23:42Brian leaves the powder to do its job.
0:23:42 > 0:23:47It's gone up inside the ridge tiles. Where the nest is.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50They'll be flapping the dust round, in theory, doing our job.
0:23:50 > 0:23:51Doing our job.
0:23:53 > 0:23:56Hopefully that will be gone by Monday. I've left my card
0:23:56 > 0:23:59with the lady and told her to give me a bell back if it isn't.
0:23:59 > 0:24:01But it should be gone by Monday.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04It's a good day today, but not for wasps.
0:24:04 > 0:24:08So I can got out to meet my lady friends for a bit of lunch.
0:24:08 > 0:24:10Mmm-hmm.
0:24:10 > 0:24:13That's why I love my job. It works well.
0:24:24 > 0:24:28Public service is in the DNA of almost every council officer
0:24:28 > 0:24:31and with the tax-paying public firmly in his thoughts,
0:24:31 > 0:24:34environmental protection officer Phil Rogers is busy
0:24:34 > 0:24:36in the council noise lab.
0:24:36 > 0:24:40He's received the recordings taken at the home of the Ross family,
0:24:40 > 0:24:43who say they are distressed and disturbed by the noise
0:24:43 > 0:24:45coming from their neighbour's extractor fan.
0:24:45 > 0:24:48And then we'll pop that into the USB reader.
0:24:48 > 0:24:51Phil needs to listen to everything they've recorded over a week
0:24:51 > 0:24:54and find out if there is any evidence to support
0:24:54 > 0:24:55the family's complaint.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58We've said to them, record when it's a nuisance to you,
0:24:58 > 0:25:00so we can experience what you're listening to,
0:25:00 > 0:25:01what you're having to put up with.
0:25:01 > 0:25:04I can hear people walking on the carpet.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07- Did she say what she was recording? - Yeah, the fan.
0:25:07 > 0:25:08On every occasion.
0:25:08 > 0:25:11So we're supposed to be listening to fan noise right now.
0:25:11 > 0:25:15Yeah. I'll turn it up and see if I can hear anything.
0:25:15 > 0:25:16LOW BUZZING
0:25:16 > 0:25:18Can you hear that faint buzz?
0:25:21 > 0:25:24Any noise that could legally be labelled a nuisance
0:25:24 > 0:25:25would be easy to hear.
0:25:28 > 0:25:34I think I can hear a slight tone, but it's distant. It's not...
0:25:34 > 0:25:36in the proximity of that room.
0:25:38 > 0:25:42That will be traffic noise, this little spike here.
0:25:42 > 0:25:46And you can hear the clock ticking, that's all I can hear. Clock ticking.
0:25:49 > 0:25:54Again, it's clock ticking. 30 is the noise created in the bedroom
0:25:54 > 0:25:55at night.
0:25:55 > 0:26:00When people are asleep. And that's quieter than that.
0:26:00 > 0:26:03CHILD SHRIEKING
0:26:07 > 0:26:09They do shriek a lot, the kids, don't they?
0:26:10 > 0:26:12Taking...
0:26:12 > 0:26:14CHILD CONTINUES SHRIEKING
0:26:14 > 0:26:17So, we haven't heard anything in relation to a fan.
0:26:19 > 0:26:22There's absolutely nothing to record there. Nothing.
0:26:22 > 0:26:26With little noise on the recordings, Phil hasn't got sufficient
0:26:26 > 0:26:30evidence to tackle the neighbours yet. But, like council officers
0:26:30 > 0:26:33across the land, his strong sense of duty to the distressed family
0:26:33 > 0:26:36means his investigation will continue.
0:26:36 > 0:26:38And away from the office,
0:26:38 > 0:26:43this local hero's same sense of duty extends to serving his country.
0:26:43 > 0:26:47Being in the reserve army has always been quite a large part of my life.
0:26:47 > 0:26:51I commit a lot of my time and effort to training
0:26:51 > 0:26:54and I've served with operations a couple of times.
0:26:54 > 0:26:57It makes me really proud. I'm a proud, loyal British citizen
0:26:57 > 0:26:58and I get a lot from it.
0:26:58 > 0:27:02That's an operational service medal for Iraq, that's one for Afghanistan.
0:27:02 > 0:27:06And this is the army reserve long service medal.
0:27:10 > 0:27:11It's Remembrance Sunday.
0:27:13 > 0:27:16An important day for the Armed Services and Phil.
0:27:16 > 0:27:20There are core individual requirements for soldiers today.
0:27:21 > 0:27:24Selfless commitment and integrity and loyalty.
0:27:24 > 0:27:28So I tend to think those are the kind of things that lend me
0:27:28 > 0:27:29to being a good enforcement officer
0:27:29 > 0:27:32as well as a good soldier, if you will.
0:27:34 > 0:27:38CORNET PLAYS
0:28:06 > 0:28:08SERGEANT ISSUES ORDER
0:28:10 > 0:28:13Respects paid, friends and comrades remembered,
0:28:13 > 0:28:16it's time for Phil to dismiss his unit.
0:28:16 > 0:28:19Squad, attention!
0:28:19 > 0:28:21To your duties, fall out!
0:28:21 > 0:28:25Would I be able to do that in the council first thing Monday morning?
0:28:25 > 0:28:29I'll give it a try. I don't think I'd get much response, though.
0:28:29 > 0:28:31Be interesting, though.
0:28:41 > 0:28:44Back at the Council HQ, Staff Sergeant Phil may have
0:28:44 > 0:28:46swapped army khakis for council civvies
0:28:46 > 0:28:50but he's still working hard for the community he serves.
0:28:50 > 0:28:53Having reviewed a week's worth of recordings from the Rosses
0:28:53 > 0:28:57and found no evidence of a noisy fan or any other wrongdoing,
0:28:57 > 0:29:01he's invited Mr Ross and his daughter Natalie to listen
0:29:01 > 0:29:02to them for themselves.
0:29:02 > 0:29:04Take a seat, please, Mr Ross, Ms Ross.
0:29:04 > 0:29:08The Rosses say they've had problems with their neighbours for 14 years.
0:29:08 > 0:29:11For today's meeting about their current complaint,
0:29:11 > 0:29:14Phil is joined by his manager, Gary Mongan.
0:29:14 > 0:29:18What I intend to do today is, we'll go through all
0:29:18 > 0:29:21the recordings you made, and you can pick out the bits
0:29:21 > 0:29:25that you think are the bits that are offensive to you,
0:29:25 > 0:29:29that are causing you an issue. If we can identify the first one.
0:29:29 > 0:29:30SILENCE
0:29:32 > 0:29:36We can probably make it a bit louder, see if we can identify something,
0:29:36 > 0:29:38- anything, that's...- Yeah, you can. - STATIC
0:29:38 > 0:29:40That's really, really loud.
0:29:40 > 0:29:43That's... That's the humming. That's not as loud as you actually
0:29:43 > 0:29:46are hearing it, because there's a screeching noise with it.
0:29:46 > 0:29:48You can hear it from our bathroom.
0:29:48 > 0:29:51You're sitting listening to some of the evidence sometimes
0:29:51 > 0:29:54that they've recorded and they say when it's really bad,
0:29:54 > 0:29:56and we can't hear anything.
0:29:56 > 0:30:00The levels that it's picking up are extremely low. Really low.
0:30:00 > 0:30:03And you can sort of... You can hear your clock ticking.
0:30:05 > 0:30:09Obviously, we can hear some of the noises coming from next door.
0:30:09 > 0:30:12The kids shrieking and babies crying and stuff.
0:30:12 > 0:30:14We can hear the clock ticking again.
0:30:14 > 0:30:16CHILD SCREAMS
0:30:16 > 0:30:17And a child shrieking next door.
0:30:20 > 0:30:24We're conscious that we can't hear...
0:30:24 > 0:30:26Can you hear the fan? I can't.
0:30:26 > 0:30:29- Not at the moment, no. - It's very disappointing.
0:30:29 > 0:30:31Even though it's not audible on there,
0:30:31 > 0:30:33there's definitely a humming noise.
0:30:33 > 0:30:36You can hear it, especially at night.
0:30:36 > 0:30:38- Gives you headaches.- It does, it gives you headaches.
0:30:38 > 0:30:40You know when they're in the bathroom.
0:30:40 > 0:30:42Besides the noise coming from them,
0:30:42 > 0:30:44you actually know when they put it on.
0:30:44 > 0:30:46Right, and that's when they go to the bathroom?
0:30:46 > 0:30:49- You think it's attached to the light? - It is, it's a timer.
0:30:49 > 0:30:51Because, what happens is, as soon as they turn the light on,
0:30:51 > 0:30:53obviously, it comes on.
0:30:53 > 0:30:57When they turn the light off, it goes on for a couple of minutes.
0:30:57 > 0:30:59Like, at night-time, I dread going upstairs,
0:30:59 > 0:31:01walking into my room, cos I can hear it.
0:31:01 > 0:31:03I can just hear it going off.
0:31:03 > 0:31:05To be quite honest with you, we dread coming home.
0:31:05 > 0:31:07It's not a home, it is a house.
0:31:07 > 0:31:10We have an obligation in law to investigate these things,
0:31:10 > 0:31:14even though we know a lot of the time that there will be no successful
0:31:14 > 0:31:18outcome and that what we are doing, in effect, is a waste of our time.
0:31:18 > 0:31:22But we have to do it. It's part and parcel of the job.
0:31:22 > 0:31:24The thing that I've got to consider now is what do we do
0:31:24 > 0:31:27with regards to this fan. You're saying that it is still an issue.
0:31:27 > 0:31:30It is an issue. It's definitely an issue.
0:31:30 > 0:31:35But we can't ascertain through our recordings that there's a nuisance.
0:31:35 > 0:31:37I'll discuss it with Gary and we'll discuss it with anyone we
0:31:37 > 0:31:40need to discuss it with and we'll come to some form of way forward.
0:31:40 > 0:31:43- That's fine.- If there's something more we can do,
0:31:43 > 0:31:46- then we'll do what we can. - Yeah, yeah.
0:31:46 > 0:31:51- Is that fair enough? And I'll be in touch.- Yeah, that's fine.
0:31:52 > 0:31:55Having given the Rosses another chance to state their case,
0:31:55 > 0:31:58Phil and Gary must find a way to juggle the council's limited
0:31:58 > 0:32:01resources and bring the matter to a speedy close.
0:32:13 > 0:32:16While Phil's dealing with an issue affecting just one family,
0:32:16 > 0:32:19Bev's been working with a restaurant whose poor hygiene could
0:32:19 > 0:32:21affect hundreds of people.
0:32:21 > 0:32:24- Good evening.- How are you? All right?- How are you doing?
0:32:24 > 0:32:26Local residents called the council to the
0:32:26 > 0:32:28alleyway behind the Indian restaurant.
0:32:28 > 0:32:31Bev spotted a rat in its messy yard.
0:32:31 > 0:32:33Oh, just seen one there.
0:32:33 > 0:32:35Brian found rat faeces in its storeroom.
0:32:35 > 0:32:37I can see rat droppings in here.
0:32:37 > 0:32:40And what looked like rat runs in its kitchen.
0:32:40 > 0:32:43The restaurant has had 48 hours to clean up its act
0:32:43 > 0:32:45and, today, Bev's back.
0:32:45 > 0:32:48If her instructions haven't been carried out,
0:32:48 > 0:32:50she'll shut the restaurant down.
0:32:50 > 0:32:52More or less all the holes have been blocked.
0:32:52 > 0:32:54Great.
0:32:54 > 0:32:56That's been blocked, that's... More or less everything.
0:32:56 > 0:32:59In the floor, there was other holes.
0:32:59 > 0:33:02This is absolutely much, much better.
0:33:02 > 0:33:05There may have been an improvement outside,
0:33:05 > 0:33:09but Bev needs to see if the problems inside have also been tackled.
0:33:10 > 0:33:14- Is there any open food in there at the moment? Is it all away?- All away.
0:33:14 > 0:33:16All away? That's great, that's fine.
0:33:16 > 0:33:18Hi, are you all right?
0:33:18 > 0:33:19Good evening, chefs.
0:33:19 > 0:33:21OK, so the hole...
0:33:21 > 0:33:22That's all been blocked.
0:33:24 > 0:33:28- It's solid concreted. - Much better, yes.
0:33:28 > 0:33:30The rat runs have been sealed.
0:33:30 > 0:33:33But ever-vigilant Bev spots another potential problem.
0:33:33 > 0:33:36What are we doing with this chicken? Is this going back in the fridge?
0:33:36 > 0:33:38- Yeah.- Go on, then.
0:33:38 > 0:33:40Pop that in the fridge for me.
0:33:40 > 0:33:42Thanks, chefs.
0:33:42 > 0:33:44Chicken aside, it's clear that the owners
0:33:44 > 0:33:46have worked hard to clean up their act.
0:33:46 > 0:33:50To be fair, most businesses that we kind of work with are keen to
0:33:50 > 0:33:55put things right once they've realised there's an error.
0:33:55 > 0:33:58You know, and sometimes it may mean more than one visit,
0:33:58 > 0:33:59sometimes it might mean a letter,
0:33:59 > 0:34:03sometimes it might mean that we need to serve an improvement notice.
0:34:03 > 0:34:06But sometimes, you know, we pretty much get things
0:34:06 > 0:34:08'where we need them to be.'
0:34:08 > 0:34:09I am well impressed.
0:34:09 > 0:34:12With the work that you've done so far, I can already see
0:34:12 > 0:34:14a massive improvement in the cleaning in there.
0:34:14 > 0:34:16There's a bit more to go, OK.
0:34:16 > 0:34:18We're not going to say that we're there yet.
0:34:18 > 0:34:19But, a huge improvement.
0:34:21 > 0:34:24Satisfied that customers will be safe...
0:34:24 > 0:34:28Well done for the work out there guys. It is much, much better.
0:34:28 > 0:34:31..Bev allows the restaurant to reopen.
0:34:41 > 0:34:43Across the country,
0:34:43 > 0:34:46there are thousands of local council officers going the extra mile
0:34:46 > 0:34:48on our behalf and, tonight,
0:34:48 > 0:34:53as night falls on Tameside, Phil Rodgers is working late.
0:34:53 > 0:34:56After 14 years and more than 20 complaints,
0:34:56 > 0:35:00he's trying to resolve the Rosses' latest issue once and for all.
0:35:00 > 0:35:04When we've got a trouble capturing the evidence on tape,
0:35:04 > 0:35:07which, in this case, we have, then we like to go and visit in person
0:35:07 > 0:35:11and experience the noise that they are listening to.
0:35:11 > 0:35:14The Rosses' neighbours dispute every claim that's been made against
0:35:14 > 0:35:18them, but tonight, Phil is paying the Ross family another visit.
0:35:18 > 0:35:19Hello, again.
0:35:19 > 0:35:23In order to determine whether any noise from next door can be
0:35:23 > 0:35:27legally labelled a nuisance, Phil needs to hear it for himself.
0:35:27 > 0:35:29It's just this fan we're trying to resolve, isn't it?
0:35:29 > 0:35:33And has there been any change in the tone of it, the use of it,
0:35:33 > 0:35:35the frequency of it?
0:35:35 > 0:35:38- No, it's still the same, ain't it?- Yeah.
0:35:43 > 0:35:45CLOCK TICKS
0:35:48 > 0:35:51Ten minutes in, and the fan is yet to be heard.
0:35:55 > 0:35:58That's on. That's just started.
0:36:06 > 0:36:08You see, I'm not hearing that.
0:36:08 > 0:36:10In the silence, I can hear the clocks ticking.
0:36:12 > 0:36:14See, unless it gets louder than that, that is never,
0:36:14 > 0:36:16ever going to be a stat nuisance.
0:36:16 > 0:36:18It's just not loud enough.
0:36:18 > 0:36:21- That kind of amplitude, that level. - No, yeah, yeah.
0:36:21 > 0:36:23That is never going to be a statutory noise nuisance,
0:36:23 > 0:36:25as far as we're concerned.
0:36:25 > 0:36:28And despite the fact that we will tell and tell and tell people -
0:36:28 > 0:36:30we tell them in writing over and over and over again -
0:36:30 > 0:36:33they still complain to us about the same things.
0:36:33 > 0:36:37The difficulty I've got now is, that I've tried to get it recorded,
0:36:37 > 0:36:39and I've tried to come and witness it
0:36:39 > 0:36:44- and I can't get it to the degree that you say it's upsetting you at.- No.
0:36:44 > 0:36:47If they were banging on the wall with a saucepan every night,
0:36:47 > 0:36:50particularly to annoy you, then that's something I can do about.
0:36:50 > 0:36:52If they had the music on full blast all the time,
0:36:52 > 0:36:54I can do something about.
0:36:54 > 0:36:57But, if I can't get evidence that that's batting out,
0:36:57 > 0:36:59then I'm never going to be able to do anything.
0:36:59 > 0:37:02I can't witness it, and we think, don't we, that the
0:37:02 > 0:37:06likelihood is that it will never be loud enough, even maybe
0:37:06 > 0:37:09when it's even screeching, and it seems really bad to you.
0:37:09 > 0:37:14That it might not be of a level loud enough for me to take any action.
0:37:14 > 0:37:17It is not the result any of the family was hoping for.
0:37:17 > 0:37:21That's it, the book's closed.
0:37:21 > 0:37:23Council won't help us, nobody will help us.
0:37:23 > 0:37:25It's just a living nightmare. We can't sell the house.
0:37:25 > 0:37:27I just don't know what we're going to do.
0:37:27 > 0:37:29I understand your disappointment.
0:37:29 > 0:37:31But if there was something I could do, I would do.
0:37:31 > 0:37:33We know that, we know that.
0:37:34 > 0:37:37Thank you for coming, but, you know...
0:37:37 > 0:37:40'We've pretty much tied it up. There's nothing we can do.
0:37:40 > 0:37:44'And even at its loudest, allegedly, when I'm not here,'
0:37:44 > 0:37:45it's never going to be loud enough
0:37:45 > 0:37:47for the council to be able to enforce anything.
0:37:47 > 0:37:51We'll probably draw a line under the whole investigation
0:37:51 > 0:37:53at this particular point in time.
0:37:53 > 0:37:56And I will write and confirm that with Mr Ross tomorrow.
0:37:56 > 0:37:59With no evidence of any noise nuisance this time,
0:37:59 > 0:38:02the Rosses' case is closed.
0:38:02 > 0:38:06There's never, ever going to be a successful resolution to it,
0:38:06 > 0:38:07unless one of them moves.
0:38:19 > 0:38:21Britain's council officers
0:38:21 > 0:38:24are dedicated to protecting us from unseen danger.
0:38:24 > 0:38:27By law, all food outlets in the country have to be
0:38:27 > 0:38:29inspected by the local authority
0:38:29 > 0:38:34and given a hygiene rating from zero, the lowest, to five, the best.
0:38:34 > 0:38:38Tonight, Bev Hursthouse is back at the Indian restaurant that
0:38:38 > 0:38:42recently shut down after rats were discovered in its yard.
0:38:42 > 0:38:45The food hygiene rating score that this business currently
0:38:45 > 0:38:48carries is a three, which is classed as satisfactory.
0:38:48 > 0:38:51The business owners are quite keen to sort of improve that
0:38:51 > 0:38:54and hopefully get a four or a five.
0:38:54 > 0:38:58But ratings can go down, as well as up.
0:38:58 > 0:39:00Hello, are you all right?
0:39:00 > 0:39:04Having removed the rats, cleaned up and reopened,
0:39:04 > 0:39:06manager Farouk needs to prove that his restaurant
0:39:06 > 0:39:10and its staff have made big changes to the way they operate.
0:39:10 > 0:39:11How's it going?
0:39:11 > 0:39:14Wow, you've done some work in here now, haven't you?
0:39:14 > 0:39:17- How's things?- Yeah, good, good.
0:39:17 > 0:39:21But Bev's not here to see cosmetic changes.
0:39:21 > 0:39:23What I'm going to do today, I'm going to have a look around.
0:39:23 > 0:39:26I'm just going to go in there, and check some temperatures,
0:39:26 > 0:39:29have a look at your fridges and your freezers.
0:39:29 > 0:39:32She needs to check that the restaurant's paperwork
0:39:32 > 0:39:36is in order and carry out a thorough inspection of its kitchens.
0:39:37 > 0:39:41Is this table kind of a permanent fixture here?
0:39:41 > 0:39:43It could just be seen as a little bit of an obstruction.
0:39:43 > 0:39:46- Is this just your plate warmer? - Plate warmer.
0:39:46 > 0:39:48Are you still using this to keep takeaways warm?
0:39:48 > 0:39:51Does that still go in there to keep warm as well?
0:39:51 > 0:39:53So when is all your raw meat prepped then?
0:39:53 > 0:39:55- Is that all kind of done at one time? - Yeah, it is all...
0:39:55 > 0:39:58When it comes, we do it straightaway.
0:39:58 > 0:39:59What I've noticed is you're
0:39:59 > 0:40:01carrying quite minimum stock now, aren't you?
0:40:01 > 0:40:04- There's not a lot of... Yeah, so you are shopping more frequently.- Day by day.
0:40:04 > 0:40:08Cos you haven't got the space to accommodate that really, have you?
0:40:08 > 0:40:11That's fine. But what we need to sort of get reassurance from you
0:40:11 > 0:40:15is that we're not sort of cleaning to make it that when we come...
0:40:15 > 0:40:17No, no, we'll try to keep it like that anyway.
0:40:17 > 0:40:19Not try. Not try.
0:40:19 > 0:40:21- It has to be.- It has to be.
0:40:23 > 0:40:27Examination over, Farouk faces an anxious wait to see
0:40:27 > 0:40:30if his restaurant gets the rating he so desperately wants.
0:40:32 > 0:40:36It's hard, hard work, but slowly we just finish it now.
0:40:36 > 0:40:39It is good now. We need at least five.
0:40:41 > 0:40:44Based on today, and what I've seen today
0:40:44 > 0:40:46and the chat that we've had and the work you've done
0:40:46 > 0:40:48and the money that you've spent
0:40:48 > 0:40:50and obviously you've put in all this new equipment
0:40:50 > 0:40:51and cleaning procedures...
0:40:51 > 0:40:54Your rating currently, at the moment,
0:40:54 > 0:40:55was a three, wasn't it?
0:40:55 > 0:40:57Which I know you were disappointed with.
0:40:57 > 0:41:00OK, I'm rating it today as a five. OK?
0:41:00 > 0:41:02You've worked really, really hard to get that.
0:41:02 > 0:41:05At least we try to make you happy. That's important.
0:41:05 > 0:41:07- And we will try and keep it clean.- Not try.
0:41:07 > 0:41:09You keep on using that word "try".
0:41:09 > 0:41:12- OK.- Let's have the word "try" out. You do need to do it.- Yeah.
0:41:12 > 0:41:14There's no ifs or buts,
0:41:14 > 0:41:16we do need to keep it safe. Yeah?
0:41:16 > 0:41:19- So a five. Are you happy with that? - You can't go above that.
0:41:19 > 0:41:21You can't go above five.
0:41:21 > 0:41:23- No, five is OK.- OK?
0:41:23 > 0:41:25- Thank you, bye-bye.- Thank you.
0:41:25 > 0:41:27The restaurant has come a long way.
0:41:27 > 0:41:30Thanks to Bev, the rats are gone, the kitchens are clean
0:41:30 > 0:41:33and the customers are safe.
0:41:33 > 0:41:34They've cleaned up their act.
0:41:34 > 0:41:37I'm confident now that they kind of keep it like that.
0:41:37 > 0:41:39You know, the issue with the yard is sorted,
0:41:39 > 0:41:42kitchens have introduced new equipment in there.
0:41:42 > 0:41:45The cleaning, they've got cleaning materials available,
0:41:45 > 0:41:46which wasn't available last time.
0:41:46 > 0:41:48I'm sort of... I can go home and sleep at night,
0:41:48 > 0:41:51knowing that there's no rats coming into this restaurant.
0:41:51 > 0:41:53So, yeah, I'm happy.
0:41:53 > 0:41:56It's a successful conclusion for the restaurant, the council
0:41:56 > 0:41:59and, most importantly, Tameside's residents.
0:42:02 > 0:42:07It's been another productive day for the country's local council heroes.
0:42:07 > 0:42:10- I'm delighted with your service. - Thank you very much.
0:42:10 > 0:42:13They've helped a great-grandmother rid her roof of wasps.
0:42:13 > 0:42:17It's a good day today, but not for wasps.
0:42:17 > 0:42:20They've listened to their residents...
0:42:20 > 0:42:23- It's just really, really loud and we just can't sleep.- OK.
0:42:23 > 0:42:26We'll put this in. We'll record for a full week.
0:42:26 > 0:42:29..and cleared rats from restaurant back-yards.
0:42:29 > 0:42:30From Environmental Health!
0:42:30 > 0:42:33- Oh, just seen one there. - Just seen one there?
0:42:33 > 0:42:36But, most importantly, they've worked tirelessly to
0:42:36 > 0:42:39help their residents when they called the council.
0:42:39 > 0:42:41I can't say how many lives I've saved.
0:42:41 > 0:42:44You know, I'm not a superhero, I wouldn't imagine.
0:42:44 > 0:42:47But, if I've done enough to say, "That didn't happen
0:42:47 > 0:42:50"because of work that we're doing", then that's enough for me.