Highland Council fails to back No Mow May campaign
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Highland Council said it would be left thousands of pounds out of pocket if it was to participate in a national environmental project.
No Mow May encourages everyone to leave grassy areas uncut throughout the month of May on the grounds that it protects habitat for vital pollinators.
Two Green councillors recently sought to get Highland Council on board with the initiative and leave areas of land it is responsible for uncut during the month.
Kate Willis and Andrew Baldrey hoped to bring Highland Council on board with the campaign initiated by charity PlantLife on the basis that it would “save the council’s limited financial and staff resources.”
However council officers said that, far from saving the local authority money, doing nothing on the grass-cutting front for a whole month would actually cost it £348,240.
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This took into account staff salaries as well as standing charges for machinery that would still need to be paid even if grass was not being cut as well as specialist mowers having to be hired to tackle longer grass after May and then extra costs to dispose of waste.
Councillor Willis, however, was not convinced.
“It is pathetic and beyond satire,” she said.
“Only in the current climate of Orwellian double think so prevalent in this failing administration, could not mowing meadows, selected green spaces, and verges be seen as too costly.
"Local authorities all over the British Isles have taken part in this campaign to highlight the climate and ecological crisis and to make a small, positive move towards net carbon neutrality as well as trying to help educate people on the need for pollinator friendly environments.
"As ever, however, only Highland Council has taken the opportunity to turn the chance to be a leader and instead be a laughing stock.”
Her motion, backed by Cllr Baldrey, had called on the council to take part in the effort to “encourage biodiversity and address the nature emergency, and to save the council’s limited financial and staff resources"
