Weedkiller ban will be fought at special meeting to discuss grass cutting

The meeting has been called to discuss an SNP motion concerning reductions in grass cutting but Councillor Jim Logue, leader of the council, has lodged an amendment attacking the present policy on weedkiller.

The motion calls for a one-off cut of all grassed areas owned or previously maintained by the council, including strimming, which it costs at £300,000, to be paid from the Covid-19 contingency fund or other one-off allocation of funds.

However, Councillor Logue and his administration wish to broaden the focus of the debate and overturn a decision made in June to cease using glyphosate-based weedkillers due to no viable alternative having been found and EU research having found that these herbicides comply with standards aiming to “ensure a high level of protection for both human and animal health and the environment.”

Councillor Logue said: “This irresponsible decision by SNP and some independent councillors has been a disaster – not just for our environment which is now overrun with weeds but financially as the costs of trying to find alternatives has cost the Council in the region of £400,000 already. This money has had to be found from Covid recovery funds which should be being used to invest in our communities after the pandemic.

“The SNP are fond of a political stunt – after all that is why we have this special council meeting on Thursday. But our administration doesn’t have time to focus on gimmicks and nor do our residents.

“Our residents deserve an apology from the SNP on Thursday for the harm they have caused our communities. An apology for our hard-working staff who have endured verbal abuse from angry residents as weeds grow out of control, for grieving families who are outraged at the state of our cemeteries as a result of the ban on weedkiller and to our residents for wasting council tax payer’s money,”

The meeting will take place from 4pm on Thursday (August 19) and the public can view it on the NLC Youtube channel.