Sheffield tower block resident demands council investigation after fly invasion at flats finally tackled
A Sheffield tower block resident is calling for a review of the council’s handling of annual fly invasions that have plagued his flat for years after the current problem was finally tackled.
Peter MacLoughlin made national headlines last week after he shared a video of thousands of cluster flies on the Robertshaw tower block on Brightmore Drive, Netherthorpe. His latest video shows the effectiveness of the treatment on the eaves of the building above Peter’s 14th-floor flat.
Peter told the Local Democracy Reporters Service last week that he has been reporting the cluster fly problem for years and nothing has happened to tackle it for a long time despite his repeated complaints.
The flies flock to the eaves of the flats as a warm place to overwinter and then lay eggs in spring.
The flats were also suffering from a fruit fly infestation following the blockage of a bin chute.
The council unblocked the bin chute 10 days ago and environmental services have this week applied a special liquid to the area where the cluster flies gather to kill them on contact.
The 81-year-old former council cabinet member for housing has now written to the chair of the council’s housing policy committee Coun Douglas Johnson and director of housing James Clark.
Transparent
He is calling for “a full, open and transparent review/investigation covering the long history and all aspects of Sheffield City Council’s housing and environmental services handling/management of Robertshaw tower block seasonal cluster fly infestations and other Sheffield Council-owned high-rise properties that have or are still experiencing similar cluster fly infestations”.
His letter states: “As part of any open and transparent review/investigation there should be a total commitment to disclosure of all relevant information from all parties including tenants and leaseholders, especially those who are vulnerable be it age, frailty, housebound or neurodivergent. In these circumstances it should also include relatives, professional, or chosen carers.
“This review or investigation/review should also include as to what actual actions the council intended taking into preventing such seasonal cluster fly infestations of all its high-rise properties experiencing seasonal cluster fly infestations.
“Any such review or investigation/review must be made public and communicated to all interested parties as said above.”
The city council has been approached for a response to Peter’s latest points but not yet responded.
Last week it stated that it has has commissioned environmental surveys previously at the Robertshaw block.
During these surveys, the flies were found to be originating on the outside of the property. The usual treatments were found to pose environmental risks to other wildlife in the area, so these could not be used in this case.
Other actions have been suggested to tenants, which have been rejected.
Another environmental survey was commissioned last week, which again looks to identify the species of the flies and again look at possible ways to clear the flies without harming other wildlife.