Confusion over why grass cutting has not been tackled

A young boy and girl trying to play football in overgrown grass outside their home in Boston

Residents in a Lincolnshire town are pleading with councils to cut their grass.

Some verges in Boston are overgrown, leading to anger and confusion.

Boston Borough Council says it was not being paid enough by Lincolnshire County Council to do the job and has handed back responsibility.

The county council says the decision was "last minute" and "disappointing".

Barbara Owen says the patch of land outside her house has not been cut at all in 2024

Barbara Owen, from Tattershall Road, says the verge outside her house has not been mowed in 2024.

The 64-year-old reported the problem in early June, but says nothing has been done. She has been left confused because other patches of grass are still being cut.

She said: "The same council man used to do ours plus the patch of grass across the road, which is under Boston Borough Council. He's done the other bit but not ours."

She is not the only one unsure of the new arrangements.

Around the corner, David Broughton, 70, from Burrows Close, says he "doesn't care which council does it, as long as it's done".

He said: "They used to cut the grass and strim away the weeds. Someone has come out in the past month but did nothing about the weeds, which are still there."

David Broughton standing in weeds near his house, which have not been cut

In May, Boston Borough Council published a statement on its website and social media together with a map showing which verges and grassed areas were its responsibility and which are under the county council and housing associations.

It told the BBC that the county council simply was not paying enough for the service.

Councillor Dale Broughton, portfolio holder for town centre, said the authority handed over the task "as soon as Lincolnshire County Council confirmed their capacity and readiness to take over".

He added: "We remain committed to supporting the county council in maintaining the standards expected by our residents.”

But councillor Richard Davies, highways portfolio holder at the county authority, said they were not told until the "last minute", after the first cuts should have taken place in May.

"It's disappointing," he said.

"If they had given us more notice we would have been on top of things, but to tell us after they should have cut the first time that they're not going to has meant there's been some really untidy patches.

"We've had our crews out working extra long hours trying to catch up."

Metre high

It is a familiar story elsewhere in Boston, where the confusion continues.

Harrison Court in the town centre is a row of modern terraced houses with a patch of land at the front.

The grass and weeds are up to a metre high. The BBC filmed two children trying - and failing - to play football.

One resident told us he's been calling the borough council to get the grass cut, but neither authority has taken responsibility.

The borough council said the land is owned by the county council, which told the BBC that it is not on the highway.

In the meantime, the grass continues to grow.