No U-turn on grass cutting
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AN attempt to reverse Moray Council's stance on grass cutting was defeated earlier today.
A meeting of the full council rejected a motion to reverse the decision they took in February to drastically scale back grass cutting on council land.
Putting forward the motion, cllr Tim Eagle (Buckie, Conservative) argued that February's decision had proved a highly unpopular mistake, which had only saved the council £45,000.
Cllr Eagle then pointed to how nearly 5000 people had signed a petition generated by Moray's MP Douglas Ross to reverse the move.
Stating that he and other councillors had been inundated with complaints, he added: "This decision has led to concerns about children accessing playing areas, increase in dog mess and litter, and local football teams having to cancel fixtures.
"Each of us are allowed to have our priorities and this stands out as an issue."
Cllr Eagle went on to praise the efforts of local volunteers who have taken it upon themselves to cut the grass in their own neighbourhoods.
However, he questioned how sustainable this was in the long-term.
Issues were also raised about how the lack of grass cutting would impact on the tourist industry.
Speaking against re-instating the service was the council's leader Graham Leadbitter (Elgin South, SNP), who described the motion as a "retrograde step".
He said: "We have a considerable budget deficit to work on. Adding to that at this stage would be entirely unhelpful.
"I believe it would be regretted by folk further down the line when we are faced with having to make some very difficult decisions.
"I fully understand the concerns of people across Moray.
"There are areas close to where I live that do not get cut – and I can see how it looks.
"But communities are pulling together and they are doing a lot of work."
Cllr Leadbitter went on to suggest that the council was having to change its priorities.
He said: "For the most part, when you talk to people about what the council's priorities have to be they do understand.
"Folk are living longer so they need more support from the NHS and from our own care services.
"Therefore, as a council, we can't continue to do all the things we would like to do.
"The NHS is getting a bigger chunk of the budget, which means other services will inherently get a lesser percentage of the budget.
"People do not say to me that that is the wrong choice. In fact, people value the NHS."
Cllr Eagle's motion was defeated by 11 votes to eight.
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