Mid and East Antrim Council seeks 'joined-up' approach on grass

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council has agreed to explore working in partnership with other agencies to get to grips with overgrown grass verges and hedges.

A motion was brought to a meeting of the council at The Braid, in Ballymena, on Monday evening, by Knockagh DUP Councillor Peter Johnston, seconded by party colleague Larne Lough Cllr Gregg McKeen.

Cllr Johnston said:

“It is quite clear that the current approach isn’t working because overgrown grass, weeds, bushes and trees really take the good look off our towns and villages. Without a proper joined-up approach or desire to do things differently, the current lack of budget will only see things get worse.

“So this motion calls on our council officers to identify what areas we actually own and are responsible for. This will hopefully assist officers and the public to know what we are responsible for. An interactive service will provide better engagement between our citizens and the council.

“It does not make sense to have multiple contractors and multiple departments cutting grass in the same area. It is not a cost-effective way to do it and it is not delivering results that our residents want.”

Cllr McKeen said:

“When you look at the main approach into Larne at the moment, the A8, it received one cut this year and it is well overgrown. Local residents expect as they come into the towns or villages for things to look well and be presentable.

“As you approach towns and villages, they are not in a good way and have not been over the last number of years.

“We want to get the onus and responsibility where it belongs and work constructively with other agencies within the Department of Infrastructure (DfI), Northern Ireland Housing Executive etc to try to see what we can do to keep our towns and villages looking the way we believe they should look.”

Bannside Ulster Unionist Cllr Jackson Minford stated:

“The verges over the summer have been growing significantly without a lot of grass-cutting. My concern relates to the impact it has on road widths. A lot of roads now, the verge is growing out. Our roads are getting narrower. We need to be doing everything to make our roads safer.

“The onus is on the Department to maintain the roads, not just the surface but the width of the road because they are now becoming single file in some places, particularly in rural areas.

“I think we need to encourage the Department to look at each road and make sure every bit of tarmac is available.”

Mid and East Antrim Mayor Alderman Beth Adger MBE, who was chairing the meeting, described the main Ballymena to Antrim line as “a total disgrace”.

DfI has said: 

“The Department will aim to cut all roadside verges and sight-line grass at least twice between April and October on the more heavily trafficked roads and once a year on other roads, when it is safe to do so.

“This aims to balance the need for road safety while protecting our environment and encouraging biodiversity. However, sight-lines atbends and junctions will be cut as frequently as required to ensure public safety.”