Highlands and Islands MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston has backed calls for a review of Moray Council’s decision to reduce grass-cutting in public places.
The Conservative MSP made his remarks after joining local Councillor Frank Brown in meeting residents of Brodie Drive in Elgin, where he saw for himself the impact the policy was having.
Mr Halcro Johnston said: “The reduction of grass-cutting in Moray is an increasingly contentious issue and one which is causing growing anger in communities across the county.
“It has been heartening that, in some areas, local people have been able to come together and organise the upkeep of their public spaces themselves. And I fully commend their efforts.
“However, there are many other areas in Moray where that is just not possible. And, arguably, shouldn’t need to be anyway. This was a Council service which has been pulled because of the financial squeeze on Moray’s budgets by the SNP Government in Edinburgh.
“The removal of grass-cutting services by Moray Council means that some formerly attractive green spaces – which should be valuable local amenities where people can enjoy time outdoors – are at risk of becoming unsightly and unusable.
“This has left many local residents, who have always been proud of the appearance of their neighbourhoods, greatly saddened and angry to see how uncared for they look.
“It is a great shame that the SNP leadership of Moray Council appears to unwilling to work to reinstate grass-cutting services and has dismissed the proposal by the Conservative Group that this policy should be re-examined in the light of its impact on communities.”
Councillor Frank Brown (Conservative – Elgin City North) said: “Moray Council is in desperate financial straits due to the very unfair settlement it receives from Nicola Sturgeon’s Government.
“Inevitably that has meant that the Council has had to make some very difficult decisions about services and I accept that as do the other Conservative councillors.
“However, we simply must review the consequences of those decisions and, where they are having a disproportionately negative impact on the welfare of our constituents, make changes.
“Access to decent open space near to your home is a basic human requirement and that is being denied to too many people in Elgin."
