Weedkiller opt-out now possible for some residents

The council currently uses a controlled droplet application of glyphosate to treat weeds in pavements

Some residents of Brighton and Hove can now opt out of the council's weed maintenance programme as long as they commit to keeping their pavements clear.

Brighton & Hove City Council reintroduced glyphosate just over a year ago as part of its efforts to manage weeds, having banned the substance in 2019.

While its new "controlled-droplet application" uses less of the active ingredient, some residents had asked for their streets to be excluded.

The local authority said this was not possible in most cases last year due to unchecked weed growth but with the situation now under control, the decision had been made to introduce an opt-out scheme.

Glyphosate is a powerful herbicide that kills most plants and there has been concern about its wider impact on bird and insect populations.

Only roads within existing 20mph zones with fewer than 100 homes will be considered for the opt-out scheme.

To be eligible, neighbours must commit to removing weeds manually at least three times a year, headed up by a lead volunteer who will be given appropriate training and access to the relevant tools.

Councillor Tim Rowkins, cabinet member for net zero and environmental services, said: "Some residents have told us they'd prefer to look after their own streets, and we supported that in an informal way last year by providing the tools and collecting the waste.

"I'm pleased we're now able to operate a more formal opt-out scheme so that residents have the choice over how weeds on their street are managed."

This year, the council will also be running a trial to compare a contracted manual weeding programme to the current glyphosate treatment.

Applications for the scheme must be submitted before 21 March.

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