A NEW grass cutting policy is leading to an increase in litter and dog mess according to a parish council.

Ray Morris, chairman of Warndon Parish Council, said some grass areas in Warndon Villages, Worcester, were becoming “diabolical”.

He is calling an urgent meeting with council chiefs to discuss the issue.

“Litter is starting to wrap itself into the long grass, dog mess is not being picked up and in certain areas it is starting to smell,” said Mr Morris.

As previously reported in your Worcester News, Worcester City Council has been forced to try cutting a strip of each verge and leaving the rest of the grass to grow after its cleaner and greener department was hit by a £830,000 cut from its £3.5 million budget.

“If these problems come to our attention we are trying to rectify them,” said the head of cleaner and greener Mike Harrison. “We are still toying around with it and are trying to get it to the best standard we can.”

He said the city council’s responsibility was to cut grass within one-and-a-half metres of the footpath. The rest is Worcestershire County Council’s responsibility, which pays for five cuts a year.

In the past, the city council has continued beyond this, but cuts means they must stick to the quota of five.

A spokesman for the county council said: “Worcester City Council are contracted by us to do a safety cut of the verges two to three times a year to ensure the highways are clear and safe for all road users.

“Historically, Worcester City Council have cut beyond the statutory one and a half metre cut, this was their decision.

“Worcestershire County Council has not requested any change in their requirements from Worcester City Council and will continue to dedicate the same amount of money we have in the past.”

At Monday’s parish council meeting councillors discussed the possibility of the parish contributing towards grass cutting costs and others suggested the whole area should be cut but just not as regularly.