CRAVEN District Council appears to be backtracking on its plans to kill pigeons in Skipton.

Speaking at a recent meeting, Coun Ken Hart attacked the Herald claiming that its January 26 article about the council's plans to poison pigeons to reduce their numbers was untrue.

Yet in a report to housing and environmental services committee dated January 23, it states: "Where absolutely necessary birds could be trapped on suitable roof top locations with the co-operation of the property owners/occupiers. Trapped birds would be disposed of humanely."

Further down the report, it says: "The most common methods for controlling populations are cage trapping and the selective use of poisons and narcotic baits."

Animal rights campaigner Kathy Musker, from Skipton also claimed that she had contacted three Craven District Councillors who all admitted that a cull by lethal means was being considered.

However, after public pressure the council appears to have put the cull in abeyance and has agreed to meet and listen to Guy Merchant of the Pigeon Control Advisory Service.

He has offered to do a free survey of the town and suggests that designated feeding areas are the way to control the number of pigeons.

Coun Peter Walbank, who was not present when the original decision for a cull was made, added: "They are God's creatures and should be protected."

Miss Musker said that this was biodiversity month and the council should be being seen to protecting wildlife not killing it.

The council stated in January that any cull would be done in conjunction with the RSPCA.

Yet the charity's policies state that before pigeons can be killed there must be proof that "alternative methods are not appropriate" and that in all cases the method should cause minimum pain or distress.

Miss Musker has been in touch with an inspector from the RSPCA.

She claims he told her that the council's environmental health officer had recently discussed using a machine that dislocated the birds' necks to dispose of them.

Mr Merchant from PICAS has been invited to address the council at its meeting in June. This meeting might be made open to all members of the public and held in Skipton Town Hall.