Call for special meeting to discuss 'poor maintenance' of grass verges in Wirral

Bruce Berry, Conservative ward councillor for Moreton & Saughall is calling for a meeting of the council’s environment committee to discuss what has gone wrong.

He told the Globe: “Tuesday was World Environment Day - well you’d wonder if anyone has told the town hall.”

He continued: “Grass verges around the borough are frankly a mess, while weed control on many roads and pavements appears to be non-existent.

“Along with councillors Adam Sykes and Andrew Hodson, I have requested that a special meeting be arranged to find out exactly what is going on - whether that’s by questioning a cabinet member, a senior director or the company that has the contract to carry out these tasks.”

A council spokesman said: “Between 2010 and 2015 Wirral Council have been forced to implement cuts of more than £150m, and in the coming year must reduce its spending by another £45m as Government continues to cut funding to local authorities and demand for services continues to rise.

“Council staff are working at full stretch to continue to provide the best possible service to residents under exceptionally difficult circumstances.”

Cabinet member for highways, Cllr Stuart Whittingham, said: “The Tory Government has continued its relentless attack on local government.

“Austerity has meant vulnerable residents across Wirral have been hit the hardest.

“I would welcome the opportunity of a special meeting to discuss the impact of continued Tory cuts on areas such as grass verges, as well as other services and would encourage Cllrs Berry and others to fulfil their duty to local residents by joining Labour’s call for frontline services to be funded properly.

“For local Tories to quietly stand to one side while their colleagues in Whitehall happily continue an eight-year attack our budgets and our services, then loudly complain that the grass isn’t being cut quickly enough, is an outrageous level of hypocrisy.”