Grass cutting
Another great job cutting the grass on the open space by the council looks like it is only the park that is being maintained...
Another great job cutting the grass on the open space by the council looks like it is only the park that is being maintained. At this rate the kids will have nowhere to go sledging in the winter.
Comments
Put a complaint into Stoke
Put a complaint into Stoke Council regarding the grass cutting on the open space. Had a nice lad knock on the door a week later at 8:00 am and said sorry, it wont be done because of cash cut backs and they will only in order to provide 'fire breaks'. So there you are. With the summer that we have had with all the rain, the area is totally overgrown. With warmer weather on the way, who knows what might happen to the open space if it should catch fire?
Just make sure you pay your council tax this month, the council need it to build their New £40 million civic offices....
Sign the petition here... http://www.moderngov.stoke.gov.uk/mgEPetitionDisplay.aspx?ID=97&RPID=3015168&HPID=3015168
Ccna99 thanks for taking the
Ccna99 thanks for taking the time to complain to the council regarding the open space and lack of maintenance. I have also been constantly complaining via the phone and e-mail for the past six weeks and looking out of the window today I can see that the grass verges have been cut and they have mowed in some fire breaks. Even though this is not satisfactory at least it is a start. I only wish that more residents would take the time to phone the council and complain, when the open space was developed there was enough money in the pot to cover a ten year maintenance programme unfortunately the council decided to use this money for other things and with the recent cut backs they will no longer be able to maintain the open space to the same standard as previous years.
We have written to our local
We have written to our local MP about the matter and invited Ms Whalley to come and take a look for herself. Needless to say we've had no response and 3 weeks have passed now.
Areas of land in the Meir
Areas of land in the Meir Park residential area in the south of the city are also being allow to grow meadow style by the council. It seems their approach is to cut open grassland twice a year, as it will save money.
My husband has said that if we had a petrol lawnmower, he would go out and make a start on it himself. If anybody has a petrol lawnmower he could borrow, let me know. I get the feeling we're going to have to take matters into our own hands rather than trying to force the council into providing the services we pay for.
Bj Dj to day I took a short
Bj Dj to day I took a short cut thru your estate on to the Reg Mich Way and I couldnt agree with you more about the state of the grassed area, it looks like a derelict piece of land that hasnt been looked after for years all the horibly weeds and uncut grass. I am finding it difficult to beleave that last year I would walk that way deliberatly to see the lovely wild flowers all over the grass. Sad so very sad.
One thing I am wondering if
One thing I am wondering if we all got together and started a fund to purchase an average size ride on lawnmower, does not need to be a brand new model, and we kept on top of it cutting once a month or so, surely it would not be too costly to run and upkeep of the mower. I know we would need public liability insurance etc. But perhaps hold fundraising days etc to cover some costs and then the openspace would be there for the use of others also. And you can get a mower that will come with a mulching device so no need for any grass clippings either.
You would need a tractor to
You would need a tractor to clear that lot!
Regarding grass cutting on
Regarding grass cutting on the open space residents need to be aware that when the estate was built the contractors put aside a large amount of cash which was generated from the sale of the houses on both estates. This cash would then fund a community project within the area, so it was decide that the open space was to be redeveloped consisting of a play area and pathways any cash left over would go towards the upkeep of the open space i.e. minor repairs and grass cutting, there was enough cash to ensure that there was a ten year maintenance program.
Without going into too much detail the council took control of this money a couple of years ago and decided to transfer it into the central pot thus taking on the maintenance of the open space and up until this year they were cutting the grass on the open space at regular intervals. It is only this year they have stopped cutting the grass due to budget cuts which is understandable however these cuts should have had no bearing on the open space as the money was already their paid for by the sale of house on the Bankeyfields estate.
So before we look into purchasing equipment to cut the grass and maintain the area I think it is only fair that the council honour the ten year maintenance schedule and come out and cut the grass at regular intervals or they should return the money so that we can buy the equipment to do it ourselves.
I would urge anyone concerned with the state of the open space to do the following, phone the council and complain, e mail martin.garner@stoke.gov.uk he is the local elected councillor you could also e mail andy.edwards@stoke.gov.uk he is the head of the department that is responsible for the maintenance of the open space.
My fingers are ready.E-mails
My fingers are ready.
E-mails will be sent!
Thanks BJ for the address's.
you may also want to contact
something my dad pointed out
something my dad pointed out to me yesterday - my parents live in Longton and they drove past the council housing estate of Bentilee. He noticed that all of the grassed open spaces along Dividy Road were immaculately cut and seem to be regularly tended. My parents live on a private housing estate and have also complained to the council regularly about un-cut open spaces and dead trees, without success. They were not surprised to see the state of our open space yesterday when they came round.
So it looks like the council are happily cutting the grass on housing estates where there are majority council properties, yet private housing estates like ours are left to turn into "natural habitats for the wildlife".
So in other words, they're
So in other words, they're virtually saying "thanks for the council tax, but we consider you to be potential conservative or lid dem voters so bog off."
Or is that just the impression I get.
Phoned Andy Edwards today to
Phoned Andy Edwards today to try and get some sort of progress report regarding the open space apparently it is now in the hands of Craig Howell. I emailed Graig with the following his answers have been inserted into the main body of the email.
Could you please give me an update regarding Bankeyfields open space?
1, when will the grass be cut properly (all over without so called fire breaks).
Mowing in the City will start at the end of August, where we mow first will very much depend on ground conditions.
2, when will the stencilling be done as requested last time we spoke.
The enforcement team will stencil when we have a few dry days.
3, when will the fences be replaced or repaired behind Harry Hancock’s ware house.
Not planned at this time, will get it assessed for priority level.
4, when will the pathways be repaired from damage sustained from your maintenance team when they have cut the grass along the paths.
Not aware of damage to pathways, again will assess for priority level.
5, when will all the gateways be replaced to make them user friendly for the disabled and people pushing prams and buggies DDA compliant.
Currently this is being dealt with citywide by the rights of way officer.
6, would it be possible for bins to be placed inside the kiddie play area rather than outside as children do not like to leave the play area to discard their rubbish when playing.
I believe the bins are outside for reasons of safety for the children within the play area.
Regarding the grass cutting residents have voiced their concerns over the following;
1, there has been a big increase of petty crime on the estate over the past couple of months and residents are worried that the open space has become the ideal hiding place for criminals to hide the stuff they are pinching and then pick it up later if the grass was cut this would assist the police.
2, a bag containing what looked like to be some sort of drugs was found in the long grass and was reported to the Police.
3, residents who have their properties up for sale are concerned that the state of the open space is putting off perspective buyers.
Three stories in the Sentinel
Three stories in the Sentinel today on the same subject.
http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/encourages-wildlife-Council-8217-s-...
http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/Council-pressure-cut-long-grass-lef...
The things that need trimming as well as the grass is some fat off hte top
Just spotted the rare laser
Just spotted the rare laser red tractor on the Bankeyfields open space.
Takes the piss, do it not the day the kids go back to school!
Well Matt, let's hope cans
Well Matt, let's hope cans bottles and other debris get snagged in the cutting blades. It will probably take them all day to cut the grass now.
Half a job done again by the
Half a job done again by the council please email craig.howell@stoke.gov.uk to pester him into getting the job done properly.
just fire breaks bj or have
just fire breaks bj or have they attempted to try and cut most of it this time?
I was a bit to hasty with my
I was a bit to hasty with my last post regarding the open space the council have since been back and cut the grass properly no silly fire breaks. Thanks to everyone who took the time to complain to the council about the state of the open space it took a long time but we finally achieved our goal.
Thanks to you Bryn for
But I bet that's the last cut
But I bet that's the last cut of the season. Let's hope we don't have an Indian summer like we did last September.
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