No Mow May dubbed 'money-saving' scheme

Councillor Steve Kay says he wants assurances grass cutting would continue as normal in all playparks

Plans for a 'No Mow May' may be just a way to reduce spending, a councillor has said.

Redcar and Cleveland Council plans to limit grass cutting in May as part of a national campaign to promote biodiversity and help wildlife.

But Steve Kay, who represents the Lockwood ward, said he was worried the main incentive was to save money and it was the “thin end of the wedge”.

The council said grass cutting would still take place as normal on roadside verges, housing estates, cemeteries and playgrounds.

Redcar and Cleveland council says less grass cutting in May will help bees and butterflies

Mr Kay first raised a concern about the impact on Charltons, a village near Guisborough, in the area he represents, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

“It’s supposed to be saving the planet and all the rest of it, but if some grass is allowed to grow it would end up full of dog muck and litter and small children would not be able to play,” he said.

A petition with 60 signatures was gathered by residents in protest following a meeting at a community centre in Charltons.

But after a site visit from a council officer, Mr Kay said he was reassured grass cutting in the area would continue, if that is what residents wanted.

Leaving verges uncut rather than strimming them back leaves more space for foraging bees

The council said it maintains more than one million square metres of grass and said it had carefully chosen locations to provide space for grass to grow to encourage the likes of bees and butterflies.

Councillor Carrie Richardson, the cabinet member for climate and culture, said: “Even small acts like these can make a difference in tackling the climate and ecological challenges we face as a planet.”