July 29, 2022 3.57 pm This story is over 35 months old

Council ponders £75 fines for people feeding Spalding pigeons

The council wants to clean up the town centre
Shoppers ignored warnings not to feed the pigeons | Photo: The Lincolnite/LDRS

Feeding pigeons in Spalding could soon land people with a £75 fine.

The council is trying to deter the birds in a bid to make the town centre more attractive.

A pest control company’s hawk had previously been employed to scare pigeons away from Hall Place and Market Place in a humane way.

South Holland District Council is now considering bringing in a Public Space Protection Order against people feeding the birds.

A public consultation would be carried out as part of it.

South Holland District Council’s website lists fines for breaching PSPOs as £75, which can be reduced to £50 if paid within seven days.

The maximum penalty if it goes to court is £1000.

Independent Councillor Angela Newton, who has urged for the town centre to be cleaned up | Photo: The Lincolnite

A council spokesperson said: “We are currently considering additional measures that will improve and maintain the local environment for the district as a whole including Spalding town centre.

“One such area under consideration is using PSPOs (Public Spaces Protection Orders) to deal with problems associated with feeding pigeons in the town centre and public consultation is a required part of the process”.

There are already signs in the town centre warning the feeding birds can attract other pests, but these are sometimes ignored.

Councillor Angela Newton backed the move, saying: “I would certainly support fines being introduced, as people feeding pigeons only exacerbates the problem.

“There does seem to be less pigeons in the town centre since the hawk has been here, so hopefully they have moved somewhere else.”

The pest control contract ended in mid-June, but the council could bring it back.

Councillor Rodney Grocock, the portfolio holder for assets and planning, told a full council meeting that the trial had successfully reduced the number of pigeons in Hall Place and Market Place.

When asked whether the hawk would be brought back in future, he said he would ask residents if they wanted to bring it back.