York's grass verges: trimming delayed by lack of resources - council

The Press contacted the authority after being bombarded with complaints from fed-up residents about overgrown grass verges - and even city wall embankments.

One reader - Russ Birkin from Nether Poppleton - even threatened to withhold some of his council tax unless 'we get some services in the neighbourhood'.

Another - Yvonne Andrews, from Iver close in Acomb - complained that her street had been forgotten abut when council grass cutters came to trim verges in the neighbourhood.

A council workman later apologised when he did come back to cut them - then promptly left the cuttings lying around for her to clear up, Mrs Andrews said.

Readers have also complained about the unkempt state of the grass embankments around the city walls - and even about the planters in St Helen's Square.

"The four flower planters should be a wonderful feature but they have been totally neglected for a very long time," said Bryan Ward, from Hunters Way in York. "I have observed the slow death of the shrubs they contain since late last summer."

Now Ben Grabham, the council's head of environmental services, has admitted there have been problems.

“We have recently experienced some delays in our standard grass cutting schedule for residential areas due to resourcing limitations," he said. "We are hopeful that this will be resolved in the coming weeks."

The council generally aims to cut grass verges every three to four weeks, depending on the weather.

The city wall embankments, however, are cut less frequently.

“The grass verges on the bar walls and embankments of the city are cut twice per year, in late June/July and then in late September," Mr Grabham said. "The council then plant daffodils along specific areas."

Tubs, hanging baskets, parks and roundabouts were tended to by officers in early June, Mr Grabham said. But he admitted the authority was still waiting for new plants for St Helen’s Square, which should arrive 'in the coming weeks'.

Responding to Mr Birkin's threat to withhold part of his council tax, Mr Grabham added: “Council tax is not a ...direct payment for a service such as grass cutting. (It) helps fund the various council services, including those such as education and social care, for the benefit of the whole community."

James Gilchrist, the council's director of environment, transport and planning, confirmed that Iver Close in Acomb had initially been 'missed' when council grass-cutting teams were nearby..

"Once the mistake was highlighted we attended and cut the area a few days after the initial schedule," he said.

But he said the council did not remove grass cuttings from trimmed verges. "In line with many other local authorities, we do not have the resources."

Not everyone in York is unhappy about grass verges being left to grow.

In a letter to The Press, Sara Robin said: "I saw some fantastic flowers including lots of pyramidal orchids just next to busy roads.

"We have lost 97 per cent of flower-rich pastures and hayfields in the countryside since the 1950s, which makes patches of grass in towns so valuable if we manage them to maximise the flowers."