Council to cut short ‘No Mow May' policy

... BUT 40% OF GRASSED AREAS TO BE LEFT

- DANIEL CLARK

A COUNCIL plan to leave 40 percent of publicly-managed grassed areas uncut is to continue this summer – but there will be no more ‘No Mow May’.

Instead of pausing cutting during May to support a national campaign, as it did last year, the council will be “supporting its principles” but will carry on.

The No Mow May policy was criticised by some residents who said that by the time grass was cut it had grown so high that unsightly piles of clippings were left behind. Other residents warned that failing to cut grass on verges near road junctions obscured drivers’ view of traffic.

The council has now said parks and open spaces will be managed, as will areas where it is necessary to ensure roads are safe, but where there are grassy areas that are of more use to wildlife than people it will cut around the edges and then leave the rest to grow wild.