A reduced grass cutting programme is in place across Wirral for the 2021/2022 season after proposals were agreed to reduce the maintenance budget by £350k a year, whilst providing opportunities to encourage wildflowers to grow attracting bees, butterflies ,moths and other insects to the area and the potential to plant additional trees and look at rewilding projects.
This new maintenance programme means that some green spaces will have reduced maintenance or may no longer be maintained.
The frequency of grass maintenance will be reduced from 13 cuts per year to 10 cuts per year on all general grass areas in parks and public open spaces.
Key areas where growth would be inappropriate will continue to be maintained as normal. This includes, sports pitches, bowling greens, play areas and ornamental grass. Any roadside grass verges, that if left to grow would impact visibility and cause safety concerns, will be maintained by cutting a corridor edge along sightlines.
You may have already noticed a lot more wildflowers across Wirral over the last year. Where it is suitable for wildflowers to grow naturally these areas will also be encouraged. Wildflowers provide valuable food and shelter for valuable pollinators which are in decline, as well as an attractive visual space and can help with air pollution.
For areas where maintenance will no longer be carried out, residents and ward members are invited to approach the council to request long term leasing of the land for a suitable community activity or suggest the area be swapped for another area of similar size within the same ward so that maintenance can continue.
For more information on this scheme, click here.
