Grass cutting update details action after recent ‘significant spurt in growth’

An update has been provided to the Council’s grass cutting in the county borough – with delays explained being due to a ‘late blast of cold weather and snow delayed the start of the grounds maintenance season this year until mid-April’.

The Council’s Environment service cuts grass throughout the County Borough utilising a dedicated team from within the streetscene workforce. The exact time of the year work commences varies dependent on the weather and seasonal growth as does the end of the cutting season.

Following budget reductions back in 2013, the service operations were re-designed to reflect significant budget reductions over a two year period.

General areas of public open space are cut utilising a ‘gang’ based system with defined areas of the County Borough allocated to cutting gangs dependent on the quantity of grass to be cut in each area. The gangs begin their maintenance work in one community, working systematically through each community in rotation before completing the cycle and re-starting from the original community. This system is in place to make sure no one area gets a better or different service than another.

Detail has been given on various areas of cuttings, with a report noting a 2013 proposal to stop highway verges being cut being reversed, and some roads previously being cut by private contractors now being brought back in-house to the council.

Trunk Roads, such as the A483, come under the Welsh Government control rather than the council – however the cutting is arranged via the council’s environment department – but funded by Welsh Government.

The report explains: “The winter of 2017/18 was one of the most difficult in recent times with winter maintenance activities continuing on through Easter. This late blast of cold weather and snow delayed the start of the grounds maintenance season this year until mid-April.”

“Since the remodelled service and in line with the reduced budgets, the service has attempted to provide as comprehensive and efficient a service as possible. However, demand and expectations continue to grow and this is compounded in periods of vigorous growth and exceptional weather conditions.

“This season saw a relatively slow start to the growing season, but recent weeks with the high temperatures and occasional heavy rain showers has seen a significant spurt in growth with a corresponding rise in enquiries and complaints. Despite this, performance and progress continues in line with agreed service standards and planned work programmes with grass cutting cycles taking around the 5/6 weeks for the first 2 sessions.”

The usual question is ‘when will the grass get cut’, and that is answered in part in the report that gives a breakdown of performance and planned cuts.

Amenity grass, the open spaces / communal spaces the council cut, has seen at least one full cut this year with it explained ‘All gangs have either started the 3rd. Growth this season has been exceptional with the warm and occasional heavy rain encouraging vigorous growth.’

Highway verges have had the first cut start early last month with the completion taking 6-8 weeks, and a second cut planned in September depending on growth.

Council owned shrubs & hedges have a cut planned towards the end of the season in the early autumn. The council says hedges will be cut earlier in the year if they are blocking and preventing access to an area.

The Trunk Road update notes the Llan-y-Pwll Link Road, Industrial Estate Access Road & A541 Mold Road have had their cut completed last month.

The A483 bypass sees cutting underway at the moment, with a further cut in late September.

The A5 will see cutting next week, with a second cut planned for early October.

Other A & B roads – parts of the A525, A495, A539, A528, B5426 – will see cutting later this month.

Top pic: long grass by the Gresford A483 roundabout, that was cut about 24 hours the picture was taken.