Council to continue using controversial herbicide

Glyphosate-based weed killers have been banned by neighbouring authorities

A council has decided to continue using a controversial weed killer.

At an East Sussex County Council (ESCC) meeting on Monday, a senior councillor approved the use of glyphosate-based products to treat weeds on the authority's highway network.

There have been calls for glyphosates to be banned, after they were linked to cancer and declining bee populations.

ESCC said there was "no alternative solution" to glyphosate at present.

Glyphosate products were banned by Brighton & Hove City Council in 2019, while Worthing Borough Council voted to phase them out in 2022.

Following recommendations from council officers, Conservative councillor Claire Dowling, lead member for transport and environment at ESCC, decided to continue using the herbicide.

In a report prior to the meeting, a council spokesperson said the authority "notes the concerns of councillors and residents relating to the continued use of glyphosate and are committed to finding an alternative means of controlling weed growth".

It added: “At the present time, there is no alternative solution that can be effectively used to treat weeds over a highway network of over 1,900 miles of road channels and footways."

Matthew Bird, who is Mayor of Lewes and a Green Party councillor for Lewes Town Council, described the decision to continue using the weed killer as "disappointing".

He told BBC Radio Sussex: "We do have a massive decline in biodiversity and huge challenges from climate change and by adding to those threats by continuing to use glyphosate just seems a wrong-headed and narrow approach.”

Mr Bird is part of an opt-in volunteer weed maintenance scheme on his own road and described the scheme as a "great option" that helped to "foster community relationships in the street".

ESCC said it would continue to offer the option of opt-in volunteer maintenance schemes to "appropriately resourced residents" as well as offering district, borough, town and parish councils the option to take on their own weed maintenance.