Dear Sir,
As a home owner in the West Ward I’ve managed and cared for the front garden myself; having erected a fence many years ago, and I’m quite proud of it.
The properties that did not erect a fence always had their lawns cut by the County Council, Livin or contractors. This has always been the case and as such was the understanding of all home owners and non-home owners alike, that if this area was left alone (not fenced off) the grass would be cut as part of the town’s maintenance schedule for which we pay council taxes.
Over recent weeks I’ve seen a massive degradation of service, whereby properties are being singled out and the grass left to become overgrown. This includes a massive increase of weeds, reaching seeding point and will spread into other people’s gardens, resulting in additional work and cost.
If the County Council, Livin or its contractors are changing their services then the public should have been notified.
If people are now to cut their own lawns, (That are not fenced off) are the County Council going to reduce the Council tax bill so as to accommodate the additional costs incurred by those who are affected? Furthermore seeing as I’ve had my property fenced off for over 20 years will I (and many others who tend for their own gardens) be able to recover the monies paid in Council tax over the years? If so I would like to donate my refund back to the County Council, Livin or contractors to allow the cutting of grass that has been missed out.
Additionally the other grassed areas “which are not in the property line” are being left out in sections i.e. cutting one block of grass and missing out another or as seen in the photographs supplied; cutting half a grassed area and leaving the rest.
As well as all the rubbish that is constantly laid around, all the grass cuttings are just left to rot on top of the cut grass which is an additional eyesore. This is disgusting and not acceptable and the full service needs to be reinstated with immediate effect and additional litter picking included in this.
Andy Anderson
Honister Place
