Grass cutting update following No Mow May initiative

An update from Cllr George Kup, Cabinet member for Community Safety and Youth Engagement.

Cllr Kup, said: “The council participated in the No Mow May initiative for the first time this year and it’s encouraging that feedback has been so positive. As a new initiative and part of our commitment to the climate emergency, we’re delighted to have seen the array of colour it has brought across our parks and open spaces as well as the benefits it has brought to the environment.

“The combination of heavy rainfall and strong sunshine in May provided the perfect conditions for the grass to grow quickly and we are aware that some residents prefer to see our green spaces mown regularly throughout the spring and summer. We therefore want to assure you that our teams continue to work hard to catch up on the areas which were left to grow. Steady progress has been made throughout June but the continued wet weather has made the conditions exceptionally challenging. The longer than normal grass is more difficult to cut even with the varied fleet of mowers that our team routinely uses.  

“If the grass in your nearest park or open space is still looking long or overgrown, please continue to bear with us. Our Open Spaces team is working hard to catch up with the regular cutting regime as fast as possible. We have also brought in some extra resources to assist in completing the first cut since the end of May. The remaining areas to be cut are from Minnis Bay, Birchington to Margate and the team plan to complete all areas by the end of next week.  We are reviewing lessons learned from this first No Mow May along with the significant benefits that delaying the cut brings to our local ecology. This will help inform the plans for next year. As 2021 has shown, we must never underestimate the good old British weather! Thank you for your understanding.”