Council urged to explain grass verge cutting

Liberal Democrat Councillors are urging the Council to come clean with the public over the state of York’s grass cuttings.

The call comes after Labour’s Council bosses ruled a motion on grass verge cutting last month out of order.

The motion was set to ask officers to issue a report clarifying where the wildflower verges, verges designated for no-mow-may and other verges are in the City of York.

Labour’s Council bosses have ruled this out of order as it “requires Council to interpose in operational matters which are ongoing”.

This follows an embarrassing episode for the Council where they featured in the Private Eye magazine for destroying the wildflower meadow in Wheldrake.

Councillor Paula Widdowson, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Environment and Climate Change said:

“Residents are asking the question ‘What does our Council Tax go towards if not mowing verges?’

“The Labour Executive chose to cut £900,000 from the Council’s Place budget and we are now seeing the result of this: overgrown hedges around York that block motorist and pedestrian views to the point of danger. The Council is failing in their first duty to residents to keep them safe.

“The decision by Council Officers to stifle Councillor’s right to present motions at Full Council is ridiculous and undemocratic.

“Residents across York are demanding answers as to when the grass verges in their communities will be cut, whether these grass verges have been designated as not to be mowed in May or if they have wildflowers growing and therefore won’t be mowed at all in summer.

“This motion was designed to be helpful to all sides of the Council, providing clarity for residents across our city where the Council should be mowing the verges.”