MORE than 21,000 green spaces are now being cut every 21 days during the warmer months - but councillors questioned why ‘dangerous’ discarded mounds of cuttings can’t be removed.
The rate of grass-cutting has increased this year, from 25 days to every 21, and follows last year’s ‘unprecedented’ summer of grassland-related deliberate fires.
At a Central Area Council meeting on Monday, councillors welcomed the more regular cuts - but warned residents were concerned by the remnants of cuttings left behind.
Coun Margaret Bruff said: “It’s great that grass is being cut more often but residents complain about the cuttings which aren’t removed.”
A fire in a field at the back of Keresforth Primary School in Gilroyd last summer - which saw flames spread quickly and covered 500 sq metres at its peak - was attributed to large mounds of dry grass acting like ‘tinder’.
Council grass-cutting equipment is ‘not designed to collect grass’.
Neighbourhood services spokesperson Mel Fitzpatrick added: “We have more than 21,000 plots across the borough.
“Following the move from 25 to 21 days, we’re hitting that target but it’s very much weather dependent as crews can’t cut grass when it’s wet.”
Coun Chris Lamb, cabinet spokesman, added: “Barnsley’s neighbourhood services has undertaken a full review of how they operate as part of the council’s continued work to improve service delivery and decided to revise the target grass-cutting cycle from 25 working days to 21 working days.
“This way of operating will modernise our working practices and improve the service for our residents. Our processes will make sure we are efficient and sustainable as a service and help us ensure grass is cut within the improved service standard.”
