Grass Cutting.

[Keith Scantlebury]

Has the NCC's grass cutting equipment knacked up ?. There is a distinct lack of grass cutting taking place. The area from the Bank Top to the black bridge and beyond is an absolute disgrace, the grass and weeds must be yard high. This was an area not to long ago was kept nice, why the deterioration? The approaches to and from the Spine road are overgrown as well. Apart from being unsightly it is downright dangerous to let a junction such as this become overgrown and unkempt. Drivers are "playing chicken" because they cannot see what is coming. This is not the only place suffering neglect in Bedlington, but it seems to be the worst (as far as I can see). And!!!!! I hear they are selling a tractor or two and some equipment, eh!

[Cyril]

My Mam has recently visited Norway with the Salvation Army and one of the things she commented on was how well kept the public gardens and verges are compared to here . I agree totally with Keith it certainly could do with smartening up.

[Adam Hogg]

Has the NCC's grass cutting equipment knacked up ?. There is a distinct lack of grass cutting taking place. The area from the Bank Top to the black bridge and beyond is an absolute disgrace, the grass and weeds must be yard high. This was an area not to long ago was kept nice, why the deterioration? The approaches to and from the Spine road are overgrown as well. Apart from being unsightly it is downright dangerous to let a junction such as this become overgrown and unkempt. Drivers are "playing chicken" because they cannot see what is coming. This is not the only place suffering neglect in Bedlington, but it seems to be the worst (as far as I can see). And!!!!! I hear they are selling a tractor or two and some equipment, eh!

Grass Cutting is now the the parish/town council's responsibility so they are the ones to complain to about the quality of service, but i agree with you the quality of grass cutting is disgraceful and i will be raising it to the Town Council at their next meeting on the 21st june.

[Keith Scantlebury]

Grass Cutting is now the the parish/town council's responsibility so they are the ones to complain to about the quality of service, but i agree with you the quality of grass cutting is disgraceful and i will be raising it to the Town Council at their next meeting on the 21st june.

Adam, I have a farming background. Take it from me that the area mentioned is now beyond the help of normal grass cutting equipment ie gang mowers etc. My daughters other half is the tractor driver for the council who drives the largest tractor and is the only one allowed to operate the hedge / brush cutter - which is what is needed there now. The thing is, beach cleaning takes priority now it seems, so that tractor is tied up on that job. Catch 22. 2-3 man hours and a couple of sets of gang mowers every 3 weeks or so from the start of the growing season, thats all it would have taken, Pity the olympic torch was not going that way to Blyth, it would have been nice and pretty by now !!

[Keith Scantlebury]

My Mam has recently visited Norway with the Salvation Army and one of the things she commented on was how well kept the public gardens and verges are compared to here . I agree totally with Keith it certainly could do with smartening up.

I agree with your Mam Cyril, I've been to Norway as well. (funnily enough that was with the scouts on the first occasion, 14th Bedlington at the salvation army) Ivy Watson ran them. Our maintenance departments could certainly take a leaf out of their book.

[Canny lass]

My Mam has recently visited Norway with the Salvation Army and one of the things she commented on was how well kept the public gardens and verges are compared to here . I agree totally with Keith it certainly could do with smartening up.

Couldn't agree more. There's a couple of good reasons why verges in Scandinavia are so nice. First and foremost it's to help reduce accidents caused by elk and deer running on to the road. Verges are generally speaking quite wide here and the vegetation is kept very short to give motorists a better chance of seeing wild animals before they reach the tarmac. It's easier to take avoiding action if you see the animal before it gets onto the road.

Another reason why verges are so nice is that we have spring cleaning 2 weekends in April/May every year. The government pays a small sum of money to all clubs and associations who participate. The members take care of a stretch of road and get paid by the kilometer to pick up and bag anything that shouldn't be there. Bags are provided by the local council and when filled are left on the roadside. These are then collected by the local council within the week. The clubs get a boost to their funds and the members get fresh air and exercise. I think it's a great idea.

[John Fox (foxy)]

I cut the council owned grass which borders my driveway every time I cut my own lawn. I also sweep and weed the kerbside 10 metres either side of the drive because the council have given up coming onto the estate with the roadsweeper. Funny enough,I have a direct debit set up on my Bank account to pay for these services and the Council are still taking the money but are'nt doing the job.

[Keith Scantlebury]

I cut the council owned grass which borders my driveway every time I cut my own lawn. I also sweep and weed the kerbside 10 metres either side of the drive because the council have given up coming onto the estate with the roadsweeper. Funny enough,I have a direct debit set up on my Bank account to pay for these services and the Council are still taking the money but are'nt doing the job.

I seem to remember that someone daarn saarf was threatened with prosecucution for doing just that Foxy. Apparently there had been no risk assesment done before they took it upon themselves to tidy the area outside their house up.

[Malcolm Robinson]

Keith,

Did you say its full of weeds or full of weed............man????

[Keith Scantlebury]

Keith,

Did you say its full of weeds or full of weed............man????

Them herbal tabs still count as smoking Malcolm, mind you they're probably cheaper.

[Malcolm Robinson]

Them herbal tabs still count as smoking Malcolm, mind you they're probably cheaper.

hey.......take a chill pill dad-y-o....

Took notice when I drove up past the Black Bridge today...........the whole lot is going to seed. (Bit like us really!)

[John Fox (foxy)]

Its the Council thats gone to seed.

[Vic Patterson]

Couldn't agree more. There's a couple of good reasons why verges in Scandinavia are so nice. First and foremost it's to help reduce accidents caused by elk and deer running on to the road. Verges are generally speaking quite wide here and the vegetation is kept very short to give motorists a better chance of seeing wild animals before they reach the tarmac. It's easier to take avoiding action if you see the animal before it gets onto the road.

Another reason why verges are so nice is that we have spring cleaning 2 weekends in April/May every year. The government pays a small sum of money to all clubs and associations who participate. The members take care of a stretch of road and get paid by the kilometer to pick up and bag anything that shouldn't be there. Bags are provided by the local council and when filled are left on the roadside. These are then collected by the local council within the week. The clubs get a boost to their funds and the members get fresh air and exercise. I think it's a great idea.

It's also like that here Canny lass, come rain, sun or snow the 4-H club clear all of the highways on the first weekend in May, (thousands of kilometers, orange garbage bags every km!) and in town there is a local competition between businesses and groups to see who can collect the most bags around town! The city of St Albert bring in sheep to their parks to keep the grass down (fertilize for free!)

[curly]

the area in question has never been the same since the porta cabins left (bridge repair people).they just seeded it

they should have been made to put it back the way it was before they arrived

the verge used to be beautiful with daffodils in spring.

[Cyril]

Couldn't agree more. There's a couple of good reasons why verges in Scandinavia are so nice. First and foremost it's to help reduce accidents caused by elk and deer running on to the road. Verges are generally speaking quite wide here and the vegetation is kept very short to give motorists a better chance of seeing wild animals before they reach the tarmac. It's easier to take avoiding action if you see the animal before it gets onto the road.

Another reason why verges are so nice is that we have spring cleaning 2 weekends in April/May every year. The government pays a small sum of money to all clubs and associations who participate. The members take care of a stretch of road and get paid by the kilometer to pick up and bag anything that shouldn't be there. Bags are provided by the local council and when filled are left on the roadside. These are then collected by the local council within the week. The clubs get a boost to their funds and the members get fresh air and exercise. I think it's a great idea.

FANTASTIC IDEA . If only we could adopt the same here. But disclaimers would have to be signed because of the H&S society we live in, common sense unfortunatly is not allowed to be accepted or indeed used.

[Cyril]

I cut the council owned grass which borders my driveway every time I cut my own lawn. I also sweep and weed the kerbside 10 metres either side of the drive because the council have given up coming onto the estate with the roadsweeper. Funny enough,I have a direct debit set up on my Bank account to pay for these services and the Council are still taking the money but are'nt doing the job.

LOL

[Stephen]

Grass Cutting is now the the parish/town council's responsibility so they are the ones to complain to about the quality of service, but i agree with you the quality of grass cutting is disgraceful and i will be raising it to the Town Council at their next meeting on the 21st june.

No, grass cutting is still the responsibility of NCC but some town/parish councils do pay for up to 3 extra cuts per year above the NCC basic service. The area mentioned is in East Bedlington Parish, I don't know if they paid for extra cuts or if they decided not to?

[curly]

No, grass cutting is still the responsibility of NCC but some town/parish councils do pay for up to 3 extra cuts per year above the NCC basic service. The area mentioned is in East Bedlington Parish, I don't know if they paid for extra cuts or if they decided not to?

I dont think the area mentioned has ever been cut since the bridge painters left and it was re seeded..........and there we go "its east bedlington"...... if bedlington was united as a council so much more would be acheived instead of well its not my area..... WE ARE ALL FROM BEDLINGTON!

[Canny lass]

FANTASTIC IDEA . If only we could adopt the same here. But disclaimers would have to be signed because of the H&S society we live in, common sense unfortunatly is not allowed to be accepted or indeed used.

The H&S laws are very strict in Scandinavia as well but it seems to work out to everybody's stisfaction. I'm not really sure what arrangements are made regarding accidents and the like but most sports clubs have an insurance which covers members engaged in club activities. Not sure how it is from the council's side of things. I'll make some enquiries and get back to you.

[Cyril]

Its a bit late but I got the answer to getting ALL the verges cut to Scandanavian standards, ALL the roads fixed, ALL the roads swept and new white lines put down, ALL the flower beds up to Kew Gardens standards loads of overtime for the council workers............. EASY get the Olympic Torch to be run all over the shire................ SIMPLES

[Adam Hogg]

Its a bit late but I got the answer to getting ALL the verges cut to Scandanavian standards, ALL the roads fixed, ALL the roads swept and new white lines put down, ALL the flower beds up to Kew Gardens standards loads of overtime for the council workers............. EASY get the Olympic Torch to be run all over the shire................ SIMPLES

Would have to have it running round every few weeks to make the place look tidy

[Malcolm Robinson]

Its a bit late but I got the answer to getting ALL the verges cut to Scandanavian standards, ALL the roads fixed, ALL the roads swept and new white lines put down, ALL the flower beds up to Kew Gardens standards loads of overtime for the council workers............. EASY get the Olympic Torch to be run all over the shire................ SIMPLES

Brilliant Cyril!

I was just asking about how much this had cost us ratepayers and it seems there is a bit of money NCC get towards the costs.

Even though I was one of the people putting stuff on which augments the Torch relay I just wonder about the local costs for what in reality is support for a London event!

[Cyril]

I personally think there has been an awful lot of monet spent nationaly ................. much the same as the Queens Jubilee .............I am all in favour of our Royal Family however the cost of the recent celebrations must be in the 10,s of millions and going back to the LONDON Olympics ( I agree with you there Malcolm )............ How much is it costing and will the cost be turned in to profit or will it be self financing ? I fear it wont make a profit to the contrary I think it will cost US money.

But hey hoe its a bit late now.......But it was nice to see the "street" full of people even though I was at work and had to be satisfied with the TV or the pics via the tinternet.

[doglover]

I have just had a walk around the oval area and can't believe the stat of the grass. Why are they not cutting it. I agree that it would be quite difficult to cut it with an ordinary grass cutter as It's so high and when they do get round to doing it I've no doubt they won't bother clearing it and it wll be strewn all over the place. Can anyone from the council put light on this reason or are they going to blame this on the economic crisis as well even though we still have to pay our rates.

[John Fox (foxy)]

. Can anyone from the council put light on this reason

Judging recent past performance, I would very much doubt it.