Resident annoyed by grass cutting in Witney

A patch of grass at the Deer Park estate, west Witney has been cut by West Oxfordshire District Council (WODC), to the annoyance of the resident, who did not wish to be named.

They said: “It’s two things really, it’s about helping the bees and saving money too.

“It really annoyed me, as the grass and flowers on the footpath beside my garden have been cut.

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“There was buttercups, daisies, dandelions and forget-me-nots growing and it’s annoying they’ve been cut.

“The grass attract bees, insects and wildlife, yet it gets cut so short.

“We have hedgehogs that come out at night and they eat the insects so generally we have to think about the wildlife, especially the bees and the hedgehogs as the numbers for them have declined a lot in recent years.

“You’ve got to take care of insects, we need them for pollinating the plants.

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“It’s spring so we should be letting things grow for the bees.

“I don’t know why it has to be cut down to the bottom, it’s not stopping anyone walking on the footpath.”

The resident said that the district council could save money by not cutting the grass, and the cash saved could be used elsewhere, especially during the coronavirus pandemic.

For example, the resident said that the money could be used to supply protective wear to care workers in council run care homes.

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A spokesperson for WODC said: “We commission our contractor, Ubico, to cut the grass at set times during the spring and summer.

“We understand concerns about the environment but it has to be balanced with its use by the community, for example children playing, along with safety concerns regarding drivers’ vision, for instance.

“However, we are happy to listen to concerns and act accordingly in specific instances where possible.”