I AM writing about the length that grass is being left after it has been cut in Coniston Close, Beechwood.

The land was originally owned by Beechwood residents until around six years ago when the council took over the maintenance.

Over the first five years which followed Beechwood residents paid the council for the cutting of all open grassed areas and they were maintained very well.

Last year the council started a pilot scheme that reduced cutting from every two weeks to every three weeks and also adjusted the mowers to the longest cuts of around 100cm.

After the grass is cut, because of the length it is beforehand, as the mowers go over they virtually flatten the grass and within days it is back to as before.

Our estate is looking like an overgrown woodland because of this, making it look untidy and not looked after.

The explanation I was given from the open space team was that it was saving on maintenance of the machinery along with manpower.

I mentioned that all of the open space areas around the Town Hall are kept to a higher standard than around Beechwood.

Alan Rushworth

Beechwood

Halton Council’s open spaces has had to make almost £200,000 savings on the cutting of amenity grass areas and roadside verges.

It is now scheduled to take place every three weeks – 11 times throughout the season – rather than every two weeks.

It must be remembered that grass cutting on most incidental amenity areas and roadside verges in Haltonis not intended to mimic that of domestic gardens or formal parks.

The height of cut has a direct bearing on the finished area and needs to be considered in direct relationship to the frequency of cut.

There is no normal length or height of grass cut.

If we cut the grass at a low height over a relatively wide interval we are likely to leave a less desirable finish due to the increased amount of clippings that would arise.

Halton Council will monitor sites throughout the season.

We will look at a range of issues before making any changes.

If practicably achievable without leaving unreasonable amounts of clippings, or adversely affecting the performance of the mowing equipment, we will reduce the height of cut.

Cllr Ron Hignett

Board member for the physical environment

Halton Council