Campaigners shocked at use of weedkiller

Brighton & Hove City Council has been encouraging people to clear weeds from their streets through the community “tidy up teams”

Environmental campaigners say they are shocked at the number of streets being targeted with chemical weedkiller by Brighton & Hove City Council.

The council reintroduced a controlled-droplet application of glyphosate after it was banned in 2019 when it was linked to cancer and a decline in bee populations.

Despite a petition gaining more than 7,000 signatures objecting to the decision, a majority of councillors backed the move in January.

Since introducing the weedkiller earlier this month, workers have treated 140 streets in Portslade.

The council said that the controlled droplet method used less glyphosate than conventional spraying and was more focused, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Environmental campaigner Steve Geliot said that the widespread use of glyphosate goes against the advice given by Southern Water to prevent the area’s vital chalk aquifers from being harmed.

He urged people to get together and remove weeds from their streets if they did not want the council to come and use glyphosate.

Environmental campaigner, Sylvia Davidson, says she is concerned about the effect of glyphosate on endangered plants in the areas being targeted.

She said: "The council has not considered the reality of the roads nor ecology."

She said a road set to be treated is a only few metres from an area "where a critically endangered plant – shepherd’s needle – grows".

Tim Rowkins, the city council's cabinet member for net zero and environmental services, said: “We want to be open and transparent with residents which is why we have published a map outlining which streets have been identified for weed removal."

Mr Rowkins says treatment will only be "applied directly to weeds and only where absolutely necessary".

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