Services
Grass Cutting
The principal duty is to keep highways in a safe and passable condition to enable people to use them. There is no duty to mow verges to keep them looking tidy. However historically neat and tidy verges have been seen as part of maintaining pride in the public places around the village.
Today, in line with our declared Climate Emergency, there is an increasing need to consider promoting biodiversity with longer grass and wildflowers. Together with the Re-wilding Climate Action Group and Greening Mickleton, the parish council is looking at establishing areas of natural beauty with wildlife rich verges planted with natural wildflowers.
We aim to keep the right balance between road and pavement safety and wildlife.
What residents can expect
Grass verges are the responsibility of Gloucestershire County Council. Grass verges are cut once a year during the growing season, usually between March and October, depending on weather conditions.
The parish council funds, and employs, a contractor for additional cuts once a fortnight during the growing season.
- The areas maintained are publicly owned land, the cemetery and churchyard, and community land e.g., the junior playing field and the Multi-use Games Area on the Oak Grange development.
- The verges are cut fortnightly, but clippings are not collected and will be left on the grass verge. In periods of warm, wet weather grass may grow vigorously and following cutting the clippings are likely to clump and take longer to dissipate.
- Strimming takes place around benches, trees and other obstacles early in the growing season and then herbicide is applied around the base of trees and obstacles in April/May and again in September/October to prevent weed or grass growth.
- Weedkiller is applied in areas where the overgrowth would impede public footpaths e.g. alleyways and around untidy graves.
- Where wildflower planting has taken place, the grass will be cut twice, once in March and then around late September/early October and all foliage will be removed. The area will then be left for the duration of the growing season supporting the growth of wildflowers and protecting wildlife habitats.
The full schedule is available for download below.
