Council chairman to stand down.
- 30 August 2014 08:57271400First i have heard of this dispute.
http://www.dover-express.co.uk/Chairman-won-t-stand-weeds-row/story-22842309-detail/story.html - Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,894
30 August 2014 10:29271403A chance for some new and younger faces to be elected next May and hopefully not just in River.
With regard to the weeds I agree with Simon Crowley it is what we pay our taxes for, it is all the weeds that collect the rubbish as a result the town looks neglected and untidy-----------------------------------------------------------------------
I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
------------------------------------------------------------------- - 30 August 2014 11:13271405With the cuts in government support to councils something has to give and we are told that as a "big society" that the public in the form of volunteers will take over various roles.
The floral displays we see around town are all planted and tended by volunteers although i believe DDC supplied the plants. - 30 August 2014 11:21271407What I do is keep the area around where I live clean I will pull out weeds in the path and round the drain and if I see rubbish in the street I will pick it up I think we should do that
I do it because as I said being ex army that is way it was.
But I also understand what you are saying Mrs Higgins and agree with you.
And again the council does need younger and new faces but will they come forward to take the work and time needed.
Most have a family and work long hrs and they must come first it is very hard to service on a council and work to .
When I done it working some times 150miles from home trying to get back in time for meetings was a night mare and very offend I did not make it then up at 0400hrs to go back to work. - 31 August 2014 07:30271438The County Council have responsibility for the weeds and the contract has been reduced so it is done less often.
The part of the Council tax that people pay, as regards Dover District Council has not gone up this year, but KCC's part has.
Would people rather pay more to KCC and have the weeds killed off more often, or do it themsleves ?
We can't always expect the Council (DDC or KCC) to do everything for us, sometimes we must do things for ourselves - we always used to, so if there's weeds outside our own houses, what's wrong with cutting them out or covering them with weed-killer ?
Simon has shown his rudeness and arrogance on here a few times, so that report doesn't surprise me.
Roger - 31 August 2014 08:15271441I dig out the weeds that grow outside my front wall, takes me about 10 minutes once a month.
If someone is elderly or infirm then a neighbour should help. - 31 August 2014 08:20271443I think a lot of the trouble is that we live in a lazy society that expects everything to be done for them. As Roger says - we can all help in a little way which would make a big difference in the big picture.There's always a little truth behind every "Just kidding", a little emotion behind every "I don't care" and a little pain behind every "I'm ok".
- Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,894
31 August 2014 11:12271451I do not believe we are a lazy society, I think most people have better things to do than look after the streets after being out at work all day. I spray the few weeds that grow on my boundary but I still believe it is the Council's responsibility that is what we pay our taxes to cover, KCC should spray.
The last few years I have had to get official help to arrange for the brambles and shrubs in my road cut back, Roger arranged it one year for me even though he is not my councillor. Why could the weeds not have been sprayed at the same time that would be efficient maybe some common sense is needed.
Next time you are out with your camera Howard you can get some wild flower and blackberry pictures in Salisbury Road at the back of the old sorting office, come to think of it the grass within their boundary is not exactly short.
Gutters used to be swept by a man with a broom so they were kept clear of weeds, now we get a mechanical sweeper that drives down the middle of the road because of all the parked cars so weeds grow in the gutters and pavements.-----------------------------------------------------------------------
I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
------------------------------------------------------------------- - 31 August 2014 11:43271452Some very good points by all of you.
- 31 August 2014 11:52271454I remember last summer your area had a major weed problem, particularly Park Avenue Jan. In that area a lot of properties are a fair way from the actual road so people don't think of it as their problem. Very different in my road where the frontages are small.
- Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,894
31 August 2014 12:13271457A fair number of them are flats or even bed-sits which can be another problem.-----------------------------------------------------------------------
I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
------------------------------------------------------------------- - Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
31 August 2014 12:52271459its not only the public footpaths around town that have the weed problem.its all so the majour roads that leed into the town are a disgrace to.the A20 from aycliffe is becoming very over grown as well.to be honest it looks disgusting,i can not imagine what out siders think when they are driving to and from the docks.
and no I am not going to weed it myself,the road is dangerous and needs highways to sort it properly. - 31 August 2014 12:53271460Luckily we don't have houses big enough to be converted into flats other than a few 3 storey ones, most of the houses are occupied by retired people who grew up in an era when everyone kept their front tidy.
- 31 August 2014 12:54271461I think the Highways agency are responsible for the A20 Brian unless someone else knows otherwise.
- Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
31 August 2014 13:02271462that's what I thought howard,but it has been getting worse over the last year or so. - 31 August 2014 13:46271463From KCC website
We spray weeds on roads and pavements once a year between mid-May and end of July. The timing depends on weather conditions.
It takes 2 to 4 weeks to spray roads in one district. Some roads will be treated after others and could have more weed growth by the time they are sprayed.
What we use
The chemical we use is Glyphosate. It is the most commonly used weed killer and is marketed as safe to its users and the public. It is suitable for use on and around roads.
We use specialist treatment methods for harmful weeds, such as ragwort, giant hogweed, Japanese knotweed and Himalayan balsam.
We do not treat other weeds such as dandelions which grow in grass verges.
How to help
Pulling or hoeing young weeds would save us using weedkiller. It is best to wear gloves when touching any plant you are unfamiliar with in case you have a reaction to the sap or prickles.
The weedkiller we use may remain in the plant system for 6 weeks or more so you should not put sprayed weeds into your compost or into your green waste collection. - 31 August 2014 13:52271464From Highways Agency website
Verge & Landscape Maintenance
•Areas of grass are mown first and foremost for safety reasons e.g. if the grass is long and obscures a driver's vision or to ensure visibility of road signs.
•Cones are used to provide a safe working area for our workforce and to protect the driving public from our vehicles and equipment.
•In some urban areas the grass is mown with an amenity objective to make the area look presentable and these grasses will be cut up to 6 times a year.
•Other grassland is maintained on a cyclical basis, with biodiversity and safety in mind
•The roadside verges and soft estate beyond are a valuable haven for wildlife, and are managed to promote biodiversity, linking with adjacent habitats.
•Whilst the carriageway can be a barrier to some species, measures are continually being promoted to minimise its impact (e.g otter ramps and ledges).
•We manage this habitat to promote our native species, as part of the Agency's Biodiversity Action Plan.
An important element of the Highway Agency's commitment to promoting safety on trunk roads and motorways is to make sure that sign visibility and forward visibility for drivers is maintained and not hindered by overgrown trees or other vegetation. To this end, a number of sites around the network need vegetation clearance over winter months.
We are also working on a set of Woodland Management Programmes for the Area 1 soft estate, to make sure that woodland habitats are managed, and enhanced where appropriate, in accordance with the Highway Agency's Biodiversity Action Plan and other Agency guidance. The woodland works are carried out during winter months and strike a balance between safety, amenity, nature conservation and value for money. Best endeavours are made to liaise with occupants of nearby properties, to inform them of our works and to ensure that any inconvenience is minimised.
The Agency has recently installed an otter ledge and other locations are currently being investigated. Five dormouse populations have been monitored, including one within a central reservation, where a joint study with Natural England revealed that these mammals do breed in this confined area and that they are also able to cross the dual carriageway. There are currently nearly 400 dormouse nest boxes and 200 nest tubes installed, and these have been used by a variety of other small mammals and birds too.
Our verges also provide a suitable habitat for a wealth of invertebrate species, a variety of birds and many notable plants, including the Deptford pink (an endangered species of plant) and 6 species of orchids. It is also currently thought that a Narrow-headed ant nest on the roadside verge, along with others on adjacent land, form the last stronghold of this species in England. - Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,894
31 August 2014 14:41271467"We spray weeds on roads and pavements once a year between mid-May and end of July. The timing depends on weather conditions."
All I can say is either KCC are liars or use rubbish weedkiller, no sign of any spraying round here the weeds have been lovely and green all summer, it will be September tomorrow.-----------------------------------------------------------------------
I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
------------------------------------------------------------------- - Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
31 August 2014 15:20271469the A20 is beginning to like the amazon rain forrest at moment. - 31 August 2014 15:27271470Weed spraying in DDC areas is done twice a year. KCC are the responsible body & as identified pay for one spray per annum. DDC are not satisfied with that standard & pay the contractors for an extra spray.