I had noticed a swarm of bees on the back of our property that we share with three other neighbours in the same driveway.
I rang Tauranga City Council's pest control about this matter, as it was urgent with a neighbour allergic to bees and myself having young children living in the houses nearby.
The lady I was talking to on the phone told me they would send someone out to have a look and it would be free. Then I get a phone call from a person from TCC saying the matter is ours to deal with, as its on private property and we would have to pay for it.
I also received an email on the subject, but it was for wasps - not what we were wanting help with. I rang the council again about this matter got no joy whatsoever.
I even started ringing around beekeepers and pest control services to get quoted prices for removing the swarm.
In the end we took the matter into our own hands, when we shouldn't have had to. Very unhappy residents.
M Erfkine, Ohauiti.

Council responds:
Bee swarms can not be moved unless the swarm has settled onto something. Tauranga City Council will take responsibility for bees that settle on public land.
Our standard advice to people who phone about bees that have settled on private property is that they contact a beekeeper.