Grass cutting begins in Moray
Grass cutting will reintroduced from next Monday (27 April) following the decision by Moray Council in March.
Lands and parks staff will phase the reintroduction of the service, starting with cemeteries and amenity areas.
The grass cutting schedule, due to begin at the start of April, was halted to allow for council services to restructure and ensure covid-19 pandemic social distancing measures could be complied with.
Large areas of grassland, parks and playing fields that can be safely cut with a tractor or ride-on machine to allow for social distancing will also be in the first phase alongside flood schemes and reservoirs.
Leader of Moray Council, Cllr Graham Leadbitter, explains the changes: “The safety of our lands and parks staff and the public using these spaces has been crucial for us in planning the reinstatement of grass cutting at this particular time. We believe we can service the areas of most value to people just now - cemeteries, memorials and parks followed by sightlines and road junctions - while protecting our staff and adhering to social distancing.
“While the advice remains for us to stay at home, we appreciate that some people want to take their daily exercise in their local park. My own experience of this is that people are acting responsibly, watching out for other folk and observing social distancing. It is vital that people continue to do this.
“Cutting the grass in these areas helps provide that exercise space and allows us to keep on top of our planned schedule of maintenance. Grass cutting, along with all council services, will kept under review and we will amend the service as necessary and when it is appropriate to do so.
“Our staff are doing a fantastic job of re-designing our services and working through some of the biggest challenges that have been faced by our society in living memory and I can’t thank them enough for that effort and for the public’s support and appreciation of these difficult times.”
The home grass-cutting scheme is not currently part of the re-instatement.
The reason for choosing the services we have to reinstate was to reduce the risk of contact with the public. Most of the grass-cutting services undertaken will be by the use of tractors or ride on machines which are not suitable for gardens.
However, the position is constantly under review in concert with national C-19 limitations.