- Home
- ⁄ Community & living
- ⁄ Street care & cleaning
- ⁄ Grass cutting
What grass won't you cut?
We do not cut the grass that is:
- Privately owned
- On properties/estates owned by bodies other than the council
What will you cut?
We will cut the grass on all council-owned land, ie:
- Highway verges (as an agent for Derbyshire County Council)
- Public open space
- Parks
- Town centres
- Memorial gardens
How often do you cut the grass?
The answer really depends on the area of grass; however as a guide areas outside 30mph signs are cut approximately 3 times per year, visibility splays are cut 4 times per year and areas within 30mph signs are cut approximately 12 times a year, although some areas considered to be in a dangerous location for mowing are cut on a lesser frequency.
Why is the grass so long?
Cutting is carried out to a schedule and consequently there are periods where the grass will grow quicker between cuts.
Can you cut the grass more often?
There is only a limited amount of funding for grass cutting. The physical area of grass that we are responsible for precludes any further funding, added to which is the practical time it takes. The only way service levels could be increased is by efficiency savings or increased funding.
Why are there large amounts of grass cuttings lying on top of the grass?
The amount of grass cuttings will vary depending on how quickly it is growing. This will normally dissipate as the year goes on. During periods of wet weather grass may stick together under the mowers and then fall in clumps.
Why are grass cuttings not collected and removed during grass cutting?
This is something we do not do in the majority of areas. The cost of collecting and transporting grass around the District plus the specialist machinery needed is both time consuming and expensive.
Why don’t you cut or strim the grass at the base of trees and obstacles?
We use the largest possible mowers to cut the grass to make the service as efficient as possible. On some grassed areas these machines are not able to cut close enough to trees and bases of obstacles. Strimming around trees could possibly cause damage as it could remove the bark. Instead we use a fully approved herbicide around trees and obstacles.
Why do you let the grass grow to different lengths on some areas?
This encourages the return of wild flora and fauna to our open spaces. Also land use can help determine how long grass should be, for example more formal areas require shorter grass.
Why are you cutting the grass when it’s wet?
Grass cutting is a large scale operation and therefore cannot only be cut in perfect conditions. Cutting is, however, suspended if conditions become so bad that we would be damaging the surface or putting our operatives in danger. Delaying grass cutting will mean it will take longer to cover the District and reduce the possibility of undertaking the proposed number of cuts.
I live next to an area that is maintained by the Council and the mowers sometimes start working early in the morning and are quite noisy. Why can’t they work later in the day?
Due to the scale of the service of maintaining grass verges, open spaces and parks within the District it is necessary to start work early in the day. Crews are asked not to start before 7am in heavily populated areas to cause as little disturbance as possible.
I would like to sponsor a roundabout in the District. How do I do this?
Please contact the Service Manager (Grounds & Facilities) on 01283 595793.
If you are still not able to find the answer to your question after looking at the frequently asked questions above, please contact us.
Contact details
South Derbyshire District Council
Grounds and Facilities
Civic Offices
Civic Way
Swadlincote
Derbyshire
DE11 0AH
Tel: 01283 595782
Fax: 01283 595720
Online: contact form
email: grounds@south-derbys.gov.uk
Page ref: LGSL 589
