PAIN INTHE GRASS
Communal land overgrown
Rutherglen residents have slammed South Lanarkshire Council for putting their safety at risk by allowing grass near their homes to grow up to a metre high, attracting vermin.
Neighbours on Fernhill’s Craignure Road say they are suffering hay fever, insect bites, slipping hazards and that rats have even been spotted on the neglected communal land they’ve named “wild Savannah plains” that is “blighting the area”.
Despite complaining repeatedly to the local authority, the residents of the quiet cul de sac say the grass hasn’t been cut for almost five months.
Mum-of-two Carole Stewart even had to pay a gardener to cut back the overgrown grass encroaching the path next
to her home so that she could access her own front door.
And with recent heavy rain, she fears that one of her elderly neighbours will slip and suffer an injury as a result of what she calls their “wild Savannah Plains.”
Nurse practitioner Carole, 58, says a council worker told her that, unlike grounds surrounding schools, communal land is not considered a priority – even though schools don’t return for more than a month.
“This is a quiet cul de sac of just six houses, but we have three large communal areas, one of which comes to my front path,” she explained.
“I had to ask my gardener to cut this overgrown grass back to access my front door.
“My hay fever has been severely affected and yet we still wait.”
As well her close neighbours, Carole says residents in nearby flats have also complained that their children can’t play outside due to the arrival of vermin and insects.
“One chap from the council phoned me and said communal areas were not a priority,” said Carole.
“I asked if they would be lifting the grass when they eventually cut it, because they never do. Because of the amount of grass that’s there, it is going to be bedlam.
“It is absolutely disgusting – a blight on the area. We are all encouraged to tidy up and put garden waste in bins, but they don’t bother. They’re not interested. You’d think with the amount of folk complaining about it that they’d start doing something.”
In response to numerous complaints posted on the Reformer’s Facebook page, Councillor Robert Brown wrote: “There are undoubtedly some capacity problems caused by the Covid-19 situation in catching up with grass cutting. (No council staff incidentally are furloughed). It’s clear the council would do the back greens etc if they could.
“However things can’t go on like this indefinitely and I have put some suggestions to them as to how this might be tackled.”
Blasted Carole: “You can’t tell me they [council staff] are all shielding with chronic illnesses, so if they’re not on furlough, where are they?
“Some folk think it’s quite trivial that people are complaining about grass cutting, but they don’t have to live with it.”
Alistair McKinnon, the council’s head of facilities, waste and grounds services, said: “Following the Scottish Government lifting of some lockdown restrictions, we have reintroduced grass cutting in cemeteries, large open spaces for recreation and exercise, and at road and path edges to allow safe sight lines and social distancing for pedestrians.
“We have also commenced maintenance at social work and housing complexes, schools and areas around play areas.
“These arrangements are under constant review, and it is our intention to continue to look to increase the service we provide, including grass cutting at those open spaces that we have so far been unable to cut due to a number of factors, including the safety of our staff and restrictions which remain due to Covid-19.”