Grass cutting row sparks fury in Uddingston after "lack of consultation"

The complaints come from people living in the Watling Street and Hillview Crescent area of Uddingston During the pandemic grass cutting was briefly reintroduced but has now ceased again.

One local resident, who did not wish to be named, said: “The council made this decision without any consultation with residents. The areas they have decided not to cut have been cut by various councils for over 40-50 years. Information was put on the council website which not every resident looks at that and many don’t even have access to it.

“On challenging one local councillor with regards to the lack of communication with households we were advised that it was ‘impossible’ to make contact with all households in North Lanarkshire. However they send out leaflets for election voting and send community charges in the post, so surely they could have used this to contact residents – so not impossible.

“The area look unsightly and are causing a health issue with rats and mice being reported more frequently and dog walkers not prepared to go into the long grass to uplift dog waste. Children play around these areas. It’s disappointing when the council that was voted in by the people can’t be transparent and up front when changes are made.”

Another local, Mark Sanders, said he had repeatedly emailed local councillor Bob Burrows about the issue. He said: “In each email sent I have requested a face to face meeting, invited him to meetings at my house or garden. He has not to this moment offered a meeting.

“The NLC legal team have advised Mr Burrows that they will no longer cut grassed areas they do not own. I know of areas they are still cutting that they do not own.”

A council spokesperson said: “A decision was taken by the council as part of its budget setting process in 2020/21 to stop cutting grass and maintenance in locations it does not own. Information was issued last year to advise that, from October 2020, the council would no longer maintain areass that it does not own. From then, it would be the responsibility of landowners.”