Outrage at news grass will be left uncut in EK until 2021
Report says grass and hedges could be left to grow until next year
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NICOLA FINDLAY
Already overgrown grass, trees and hedgerows in East Kilbride will worsen after it was revealed parks and public spaces are to remain unkempt until 2021.
Now the council have been told to “stop making excuses” and deal with the problem.
Grass cutting and grounds maintenance services were suspended by the local authority in March following the UK-wide coronavirus lockdown.
And this week a briefing report to councillors, MSPs and MPs revealed that not all grass and hedge cutting would be carried out this year, with no date set for a return to full service.
That means some areas could go more than NINE MONTHS without being tended to. Calls for South Lanarkshire Council (SLC) to deal with the problem as soon as possible have now been ramped-up.
Graham Simpson has given his backing to a letter sent to SLC chief executive Clelland Sneddon asking for answers, branding the current state of some areas in East Kilbride “unacceptable”.
The Conservative MSP told the News: “Other councils, such as North Lanarkshire, have been able to keep on top of things.
“SLC should stop making excuses and get the areas for which it is responsible and for which we pay them to do, looking smart again.”
Whilst maintenance on some areas began this week, the report stated that, “in all likelihood, a full resumption of service delivery will not be seen in 2020 based on current restrictions”.
The News has been inundated with complaints from residents who say some green spaces are now a no-go zone due to the length of the grass.
Independent East Kilbride East councillor, Jim Wardhaugh, repeated his calls for a resumption of full maintenance in line with other local authorities, including neighbouring North Lanarkshire.
He told us: “We are now reaping the results of unnecessary cessation of grounds maintenance for months.
“All the excuses about why this couldn’t be done are now being exposed as totally unfounded.
“Other councils have fully or very nearly maintained full ground maintenance programmes.
“Why SLC have not done the same was a choice and not a necessity, and it has not been in the interests of South Lanarkshire residents.”
Some of the open spaces are the only recreation areas residents – like those in flats or sheltered housing – have, with many branding them “unusable”.
Concerns have also been raised the unkempt grass could attract vermin.
SNP MSP Linda Fabiani said she has had “many residents contact my office” regarding the matter.
She added: “Councils have had to make hard decisions during this pandemic and decide what services to prioritise.
“SLC have been very mindful of safe-working guidance and have had to deal with staff shortages too.
“Whilst we are still dealing with a global pandemic, it is unrealistic to expect things to be normal and I know that SLC are doing all they can until full service can be resumed.”
Maintenance of flower and rose beds is suspended until further notice, while parts of the ‘care of gardens’ scheme and maintenance and renovation of some grass football pitches is on hold and may not take place this year.
The briefing also states that the council have had to look at additional grass cutting machinery “more appropriate to dealing with the length of grass” and procurement is “being explored/progressed”.
A spokesman for SLC said: “We are currently working our way through preparations for the next phase of the recovery of services, including open space grass cutting.
“Once we have all the details finalised we will communicate what our plans are through the usual council channels.”
In all likelihood a full resumption of service delivery will not be seen in 2020...