Agenda item - Managing verges and weeds

Report of the Executive Director, Economy, Environment & Culture

1)             That Environment, Transport & Sustainability Committee note the contents of this report.

2)             That Environment, Transport & Sustainability Committee approves the verge management pilot as detailed in Section 3.

3)             That Environment, Transport & Sustainability Committee strongly makes the point that the representations from residents and their elected representatives will guide locations and mowing regimes unless unreasonable.

97.1      The Committee considered a report of the Executive Director, Economy, Environment & Culture that requested approval to pilot a new approach to verge management and provided an update on weed management following this committee’s decision in November 2019 to reduce the use of pesticides. It also provided a response to a Notice of Motion to the committee on 18 January 2022 which agreed to set out how the council manages weeds in the future, learning from the past few years of pesticide free removal.

97.2      On behalf of the Conservative Group, Councillor Nemeth moved a motion to amend the recommendations as follows:

2.3    That Environment, Transport & Sustainability Committee strongly makes the point that the representations from residents and their elected representatives will guide locations and mowing regimes unless unreasonable.

97.3      Councillor Peltzer Dunn formally seconded the motion.

97.4      In response to a query from Councillor Fowler, the Head of Operations – Cityclean explained that the recruitment day had gone well and offers had been made to 19 candidates that may not have made an online application to a job advertisement.

97.5      The Chair then put the Conservative Group motion to the vote that passed.

97.6      The Chair then put the recommendations as amended to the vote that were agreed.

97.7      Resolved-

1)           That Environment, Transport & Sustainability Committee note the contents of this report.

2)           That Environment, Transport & Sustainability Committee approves the verge management pilot as detailed in Section 3.

3)           That Environment, Transport & Sustainability Committee strongly makes the point that the representations from residents and their elected representatives will guide locations and mowing regimes unless unreasonable.