ianstone
07-20-2010, 05:01 PM
Council bans residents from cutting their grass - because it's too dangerous
By Daily Mail Reporter (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=y&authornamef=Daily+Mail+Reporter)
Last updated at 11:35 AM on 20th July 2010
Comments (100) (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1296177/Council-bans-residents-cutting-grass-health-safety-concerns.html#comments)
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A council has banned houseproud families from cutting the grass outsides their homes - because it is too dangerous.
The bizarre ruling was made after penny-pinching council bosses stopped cutting the verges in Dudley in order to save money.
While they allowed the grass to grow unruly and wild, families have been living next to virtual forests of weeds, litter and poisonous plants.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/07/20/article-1296177-0A7F14F3000005DC-555_468x286.jpg Danger: Houseproud families have been banned from cutting the grass outsides their homes because of council health and safety fears
But while the council aims to save £30,000 by the move, it has told people they cannot tackle the problem themselves in case they hurt themselves cutting the grass.
They even told residents of one street not to hire a contractor, at a cost £200, because they would be breaking health and safety rules.
In some areas the grass is now over a foot in length and people are worried the patches of dry, messy land could be a fire hazard in the hot summer weather.
The council decided in March to quit trimming grass verges across the borough to cut costs.
Initially residents said they were threatened with prosecution under health and safety laws if they dared to cut the grass themselves.
But the council later backed down and admitted they could not stop people from trimming the verges, although they urged them not to.
Homeowners on Coldstream Drive, in Dudley, noticed the council had stopped mowing the steep verge back in April.
Now, with a vertiable forest on their doorsteps, they are determined to get the mess outside their houses cleared and have vowed to fight the council's barmy gardening policy.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/07/20/article-1296177-0A7F11BF000005DC-766_468x286.jpg Out of control: The growth is more than just an eye-sore and has threatened to overrun road signs
A petition signed by 350 people has already been handed to the council begging them to tidy up their estates but the grass remains uncut.
Hypnotherapist Carol Weatherall said: 'The council had been cutting this grass for years but they've suddenly stopped.
'We want to cut it ourselves but the council have told us it's too dangerous.
'They are scared that we might fall over and sue them. We've even asked if we can pay someone else to do it but the story's the same.
'The grass hasn't been cut for nearly a year, it's not only an eyesore, it's dangerous as well, it's long and dry and there are glass bottles in it - it must be a fire hazard.
'We are absolutely not going to give up on this. It's an appalling mess.
'There are a lot of trees along the verge and, in the hot dry weather, it could be like a tinderbox. Our houses are in jeopardy.
'We all willing to get our lawnmowers out to cut it but we are scared of getting into trouble. I also don't really feel like it's our job to do it - we pay our council tax.'
Lollipop lady Angela Davies said: 'I couldn't believe it when I found out that the council had said it was a health and safety risk.
'The council has been cutting this verge for 47 years and there hasn't been an accident yet. I don't know why they think it's so dangerous.
'There is a steep bank outside the council offices and they manage to cut the grass there.
'It's one thing for them to refuse to cut the grass, but to threaten to prosecute us if we do it ourselves is ludicrous.
'It's health and safety gone mad.'
Residents added the poisonous ragwort weed, which has yellow flowers, had spread through the verge. It contains toxins that can be deadly for grazing animals.
A spokesman for Dudley Council said: 'As part of the budget setting process agreed by the council in March, we will no longer be cutting grass banks due to the high costs in providing the service.
'While the council cannot stop people from cutting the grass banks on our land, we would strongly advise people against it because they are not insured to carry out what can be hazardous work.
'Some of these banks can be quite steep and we don't want 90-year-old men getting their lawnmowers out to cut the grass in case they seriously hurt themselves.'
A spokesman for Dudley Borough Council said: 'We're just generally worried about people hurting themselves.
'We use specialist equipment to do these banks and we have radio-controlled mowers to do the steepest areas so obviously there's maintenance and training that goes with that.
'It's not like we can have just any old member of the public doing it with a Flymo.
'If somebody injured themselves, who would be liable then? We don't want people mowing these banks and that's the end of the matter.'
Read more: [URL]http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1296177/Council-bans-residents-cutting-grass-health-safety-concerns.html#ixzz0uG4r1GBx (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1296177/Council-bans-residents-cutting-grass-health-safety-concerns.html)
By Daily Mail Reporter (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=y&authornamef=Daily+Mail+Reporter)
Last updated at 11:35 AM on 20th July 2010
Comments (100) (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1296177/Council-bans-residents-cutting-grass-health-safety-concerns.html#comments)
[/URL]
A council has banned houseproud families from cutting the grass outsides their homes - because it is too dangerous.
The bizarre ruling was made after penny-pinching council bosses stopped cutting the verges in Dudley in order to save money.
While they allowed the grass to grow unruly and wild, families have been living next to virtual forests of weeds, litter and poisonous plants.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/07/20/article-1296177-0A7F14F3000005DC-555_468x286.jpg Danger: Houseproud families have been banned from cutting the grass outsides their homes because of council health and safety fears
But while the council aims to save £30,000 by the move, it has told people they cannot tackle the problem themselves in case they hurt themselves cutting the grass.
They even told residents of one street not to hire a contractor, at a cost £200, because they would be breaking health and safety rules.
In some areas the grass is now over a foot in length and people are worried the patches of dry, messy land could be a fire hazard in the hot summer weather.
The council decided in March to quit trimming grass verges across the borough to cut costs.
Initially residents said they were threatened with prosecution under health and safety laws if they dared to cut the grass themselves.
But the council later backed down and admitted they could not stop people from trimming the verges, although they urged them not to.
Homeowners on Coldstream Drive, in Dudley, noticed the council had stopped mowing the steep verge back in April.
Now, with a vertiable forest on their doorsteps, they are determined to get the mess outside their houses cleared and have vowed to fight the council's barmy gardening policy.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/07/20/article-1296177-0A7F11BF000005DC-766_468x286.jpg Out of control: The growth is more than just an eye-sore and has threatened to overrun road signs
A petition signed by 350 people has already been handed to the council begging them to tidy up their estates but the grass remains uncut.
Hypnotherapist Carol Weatherall said: 'The council had been cutting this grass for years but they've suddenly stopped.
'We want to cut it ourselves but the council have told us it's too dangerous.
'They are scared that we might fall over and sue them. We've even asked if we can pay someone else to do it but the story's the same.
'The grass hasn't been cut for nearly a year, it's not only an eyesore, it's dangerous as well, it's long and dry and there are glass bottles in it - it must be a fire hazard.
'We are absolutely not going to give up on this. It's an appalling mess.
'There are a lot of trees along the verge and, in the hot dry weather, it could be like a tinderbox. Our houses are in jeopardy.
'We all willing to get our lawnmowers out to cut it but we are scared of getting into trouble. I also don't really feel like it's our job to do it - we pay our council tax.'
Lollipop lady Angela Davies said: 'I couldn't believe it when I found out that the council had said it was a health and safety risk.
'The council has been cutting this verge for 47 years and there hasn't been an accident yet. I don't know why they think it's so dangerous.
'There is a steep bank outside the council offices and they manage to cut the grass there.
'It's one thing for them to refuse to cut the grass, but to threaten to prosecute us if we do it ourselves is ludicrous.
'It's health and safety gone mad.'
Residents added the poisonous ragwort weed, which has yellow flowers, had spread through the verge. It contains toxins that can be deadly for grazing animals.
A spokesman for Dudley Council said: 'As part of the budget setting process agreed by the council in March, we will no longer be cutting grass banks due to the high costs in providing the service.
'While the council cannot stop people from cutting the grass banks on our land, we would strongly advise people against it because they are not insured to carry out what can be hazardous work.
'Some of these banks can be quite steep and we don't want 90-year-old men getting their lawnmowers out to cut the grass in case they seriously hurt themselves.'
A spokesman for Dudley Borough Council said: 'We're just generally worried about people hurting themselves.
'We use specialist equipment to do these banks and we have radio-controlled mowers to do the steepest areas so obviously there's maintenance and training that goes with that.
'It's not like we can have just any old member of the public doing it with a Flymo.
'If somebody injured themselves, who would be liable then? We don't want people mowing these banks and that's the end of the matter.'
Read more: [URL]http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1296177/Council-bans-residents-cutting-grass-health-safety-concerns.html#ixzz0uG4r1GBx (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1296177/Council-bans-residents-cutting-grass-health-safety-concerns.html)