A VERGE planted with wildflowers by local Cub Scouts has been ‘trashed’ by a York council grass cutter, a councillor has claimed.

Cllr Mark Warters said two areas at the top of Canham Grove in Osbaldwick had been cut, even though he had expressly asked for them to be taken off the cutting schedule.

York Press:

“It’s very disheartening, especially as the campion was just starting to flower and the foxgloves were just sending up flower spikes,” he said.

“Of course, the cowslips and primroses have been obliterated due to the ridiculously short setting of the City of York Council mower.

“It was recently planted up as a wildflower verge by myself and the local Cub Scouts.

“The plants and wildflower seed was provided by Andrew Cutts of Urban Buzz, and additional plants and bulbs were provided by Osbaldwick Parish Council, with some additional bits and pieces that I got.”

He said he had instructed Osbaldwick Parish Council’s clerk to invoice York council for money wasted on additional plants and bulbs that it had bought.

He also thought a fair reflection of the time he spent in organising the creation of the wildflower verge would be compensation of £250, which he would donate to Osbaldwick and Murton Cub Scouts.

Russell Stone, head of operations at City of York Council told The Press: “We cut approx two million square metres of grass verges and open spaces up to 14 times a year across the city and work closely with local communities and partners to maintain plant diversity.

“We have apologised to the councillor, the Scout group and Urban Buzz about this oversight.

“Meanwhile we’re looking at further improving how we share information with crews on not cutting certain areas of verge.”

Mr Stone told Cllr Warters that one of the team, who did not normally cut this area, noticed it had not been cut while driving past and thought he was helping his colleague out.

“We will of course look at compensating the residents and Urban Buzz by assisting to reinstate the planting of bulbs and wild flowers, how we will do this will be agreed at a later date,” he said.

But Cllr Warters said he was not willing to accept the apology, claiming it was the third time such a project had been trashed, after problems at Kexby and Murton.