AM angered by the big grass cutting debate

Rebecca Evans AM, Assembly Member for Mid and West Wales has expressed concern after learning that Powys County Council has spent £15,000 a year for 15 years mowing the wrong lawns.

 The Council has been shown to have been maintaining 560 Montgomeryshire lawns that it doesn’t own. The Council has now decided to ditch the grass-cutting service. Mrs Evans has written to the Council seeking an explanation and challenging the decision.

 Mrs Evans said: “I am very concerned on two counts.

 “First, I am concerned about the use of public funds to maintain lawns on properties unnecessarily, and would like an explanation as to why it has gone unchallenged and unnoticed for so long.

“Second, I am concerned that this service will be withdrawn from those older or sick council house tenants who really need it.

 “Time and time again during our Assembly’s Health and Social Care Committee scrutiny of the Social Services and Well-being Bill we have heard that getting ‘a little bit of help’ – such as help with the garden, or minor repairs to the home – can make all the difference in terms of allowing a person to remain at home and stay independent for longer.

“We have heard how this kind of low-level support can help prevent needs escalating, and can save the Council huge amounts of money in the long term. To withdraw the service from people who actually need it would be very short sighted indeed.”