Acres of grass across Medway have been left to grow wild and unkempt by council-employed contractors.
Figures released by council officials show grass cutters Quadron are failing to keep Medway’s picturesque green spaces maintained – receiving almost one fine per day throughout 2007/08.
Community services chief Howard Doe admitted the council issued the firm with 352 fines in the last financial year – at £100 a piece – and has sent out 234 more since April.
The huge bill, which is approaching the £6,000 mark, comes despite a 48-hour ‘rectification’ period between the problem being identified and a fine.
The Liberal Democrat group said its councillors had been inundated by complaints by angry residents.
Councillor Diana Smith said: “It is absolutely disgraceful that the council has been unable to make the contractor cut the grass despite all these fines.
“Local taxpayers are paying for a service they are simply not getting.”
The party’s deputy leader Andy Stamp added: “The council is failing in its duty to residents. Wherever you look around Medway there are overgrown grass verges and neglected open spaces that should have been cut back weeks, or in some cases, months ago.”
Mr Doe said Quadron had put measures in place to solve the problems.
He said: “This is a serious matter and the contractors are working hard to address the current shortfalls.
“We have agreed an action plan, and at their own cost, the contractor has brought in additional grass cutting teams, including a hit squad.
“We are also bringing in additional sub-contractors, again at the contractor’s cost, to tackle a number of sites where priority action is required.
“More must be done, and will be done, to meet the standard of grass cutting expected in Medway.”
Quadron’s managing director of the environment division Clive Ivil said: “There have been some problems with grass cutting programme in Medway due to some operational difficulties.
“We have put an action plan in place and I can confirm that we have taken on additional staff to assist with this as well as extra tractors and mowers.”
POSTED: 18/06/2008 06:00:00