COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF RATHFARNHAM/TEMPLEOGUE-TERENURE AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, February 14, 2017

MOTION NO. 3

MOTION: Councillor S. Holland

"That the Chief Executive ensures that this years grass cutting schedule is adhered to, to ensure that there is no repeat of last years poor show."

REPORT:

"It is proposed that the annual grass cutting programme will commence across the County in the coming two to three weeks.  This is a number of weeks earlier than would normally be expected and is as a result of the mild winter. The service will be provided on the same basis as in previous years, that is open spaces and roadside margins will be cut fortnightly while playing pitches will be cut weekly. 

A number of issues are being examined at present in an effort to improve the delivery of this service in 2017. The record of grass cutting events in 2016 is currently being examined to identify where problems arose, as is the record of complaints received in 2016 regarding poor grass cutting standards.  The information obtained from this exercise will identify problems from the 2016 season which need to be addressed in 2017, if this has not already been done. 

It is proposed that the weed control which is required in margins around trees, sign poles, utility boxes, barriers and also in boundary areas will commence earlier than in previous years and that this will improve the appearance of those areas from an early date in 2017. 

It is also proposed that a system will be implemented in 2017 whereby all available grass cutting resources around the County can be pooled in such a manner that there is a consistently high standard of grass cutting achieved across all parts of the County.  This will represent a move away from the existing system whereby the service is provided in such a manner that each operational depot is responsible for grass cutting in a specific geographical area which is linked to it.  This has in the past resulted in a variation in adherence to the grass cutting schedule from one area to another across the County."