Sandwell Council is stepping up its efforts to save wildfowl on a Smethwick pool from the possibility of poisoning following the death of a number of geese in recent weeks.
Council workmen have started erecting a fence at the pool in Smethwick Hall Park, Stony Lane, in a bid to keep wildfowl away from the shallower areas where they are believed to be at greater risk from the effects of the mystery poisoning.
Councillor Maria Crompton, Sandwell Council’s cabinet member for Safer Communities, said the fencing followed multi-agency meetings involving the council, Environment Agency, Severn Trent, RSPCA and representatives of local residents in a bid to minimise the threat as they waited for toxicology investigations to be completed.
“We are very concerned about the effects on the geese and are determined to do all we can to resolve this distressing situation to protect them and all the other wildfowl that use this pool by working in partnership with the other agencies,” she said.
“It is essential that we do come up with a long-term remedy and hope that short-term efforts like the fencing will help to reduce the risk in the meantime,” she said.
