A new approach to cutting green spaces in Harlow is being trialled as the grass cutting season gets underway in the town.
A grass cutting pilot project introduced last autumn has been extended to this year. The changes see improvements to the coordination of grass cutting teams with a ride on mower followed by a strimming team to improve the visual appearance of green spaces around the town.
The grass is cut by the council’s local authority trading company, HTS, who carry out environmental maintenance work in the town.
Grass will also be cut later in the winter season as global warming has seen temperatures increase which has extended the growth of grass.
Some grassed areas in the town will continue to be left long for biodiversity benefits.
Councillor Nicky Purse, cabinet portfolio holder for environment, said:
“We are working closely with HTS to improve the way we maintain the town’s green open spaces which is all part of our work to restore pride in our town. The grass cutting pilot project worked well last year so I am pleased that this has been extended and we will keep the new working practices under review. As well as keeping our landscapes neat and tidy we know that some residents would like to see more grass left long for biodiversity. Therefore, we are working to ensure that we have the balance of both in the right areas. Any areas left long will still need to be managed and monitored regularly.”