Meeting to be held on seagull issues in Elgin
Community Council Chair Alastair Kennedy says there's more gulls in the town now than ever before
Talks on how to deal with urban gulls in Elgin will take place this month.
Elgin Community Council has been trying since the beginning of the year to get a representative from environmental protection agency NatureScot to meet them to discuss issues faced by residents.
Area manager for south Highland with NatureScot Chris Donald will meet with officers from Moray Council, members of the community council and the six Elgin councillors to find a way forward.
Gulls have become an increasing problem in the town over recent years causing mess, stealing food and attacking people.
Chairman of the community council Alastair Kennedy said: "I’m delighted this is coming together.
"Sadly it’s too late to do anything this year.
"There is some work going on, but we have to be looking at this in the long term
"We’ve got more gulls in Elgin then we’ve ever had, and I think we have to look at it from a different perspective."
He hopes a management plan can be put in place to rid the town of its gull problems, and that a public meeting will be held at some point.
It is illegal to destroy eggs, chicks or nests without a licence, and in recent years the local authority has used one to have them removed from buildings.
Tightening up of the licensing rules by NatureScot means it is individual property owners or occupiers who need to apply for a licence as opposed to one covering a designated area.
Home owners are also encouraged to install prevention measures to deter gulls before more direct action is taken.
Moray Council has pledged to spend £44,000 on gull proof bins, and a further £2,000 on an education programme aimed at telling people not to feed them.
In March NatureScot apologised to the community council for not replying to their emails and phone calls.
The agency then said it did not have “capacity” within their team to attend a meeting.
The meeting will be held in Elgin Town Hall on Monday June 20 from 1.30pm.