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SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, May 08, 2017

QUESTION NO.2

QUESTION: Councillor W. Lavelle

To ask the Chief Executive to provide an update on the operation of the grass-cutting programme?

REPLY:

The annual grass cutting programme commenced across the County in early March, a number of weeks earlier than would normally be expected and this 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 in an effort to improve the delivery of the service in 2017. The record of grass cutting events in 2016 is 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. 

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 the standard of grass cutting schedule achieved from one area to another across the County. 

New staff recruited in 2016 have been trained for grass cutting and will be used for this purpose as required throughout the season.  In addition provision has been made in the 2017 budget for the recruitment of 15 staff on a seasonal basis and these staff are expected to commence work in early May.  These seasonal staff will provide holiday cover for staff engaged in grass cutting and will also be able to assist in the cleaning of grass areas ahead of grass cutting.  Both these factors should assist in the proper resourcing of grass cutting throughout the holiday season and will help to achieve and maintain an acceptable standard throughout the summer.