Decision

The Committee resolved:-

(i)            to note that  urban gulls are present in Aberdeen as this is a coastal city, however, the issue is exacerbated  by residents feeding the gulls with discarded food scraps, littering and improper waste disposal.

(ii)           to agree that not only does this cause annoyance, but human food is also bad for gulls understanding that their natural diet is based on shellfish, bird eggs, insects and earthworms;

(iii)         to acknowledge that gulls are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and that, under this, it is illegal to capture, injure or destroy any wild bird, or interfere with its nest or eggs, without a licence issued by Scottish Natural Heritage;

(iv)         to note that all of Scotland’s gull species are declining with some Red-listed on the Birds of Conservation Concern and that all public bodies, under the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004, have the statutory duty to “further the conservation of biodiversity” when exercising their functions; and

(v)          to instruct the Chief Officer – Governance following  consultation  with the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning,  to work with partners to understand any concerns, and report back  on the scope of options available to Aberdeen City Council within the law to address these concerns.