Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
‘Cut grass, not staff’
Grassland in Graham Street has been branded an “eyesore” by people living in St Michael’s Grove, which overlooks the site.
The site has been padlocked shut, with the grass growing to knee height.
Residents say they believe that cutbacks to council staff may be to blame for the lack of maintenance.
Gary Aitchison, a graphic designer, told the Tele the grass hadn’t been cut at the site since the start of the year.
The 36-year-old said: “It’s getting longer and longer. Anything could be running about in there — it’s just a mess. I’ve heard that other areas of the city have been left, and the council are branding them ‘meadows’ — I think that’s just a cop-out.
“I’ve been here for three years and it has been well maintained and welllooked after until now. Before, it was
“I called the council to have them cut back and they said they didn’t have enough time or staff to come out and do it, so I did it myself.”
Jimmy Smith, 50, has also called for action, adding: “What can the council hope to maintain if they can’t maintain that piece of grass? We paid a lot for our houses, we pay council tax. If there are vermin in the grass, they’ll have to spend money controlling the pests.”
Coldside councillor George McIrvine said he would be seeking a meeting with those responsible.
A spokesman for Dundee City Council said: “There have been changes to the frequency and pattern of grass cutting in the city in recent years. Some areas that are less accessible to the public are being cut less frequently. On verges and roadsides where daffodils are planted the first cut of the grass is not made until July.
“In addition, efforts are being made to improve the city’s bio-diversity, which has also changed the way grass is cut. For example in many of our parks grass in no longer cut under tree canopies to encourage different types of plants to flourish.”
DUNDEE City Council has been urged to take action to tidy up an area of green space which residents say has been left to overgrow.