Environment & Landscape

When will the grass be cut?
Between the end of March and the end of October the grass will be cut approximately once every 2/3 weeks, although this may be varied subject to weather conditions and the length of the grass.

Can grass cuttings be removed?
Unfortunately, we cannot remove grass cuttings as the cost of collecting and transporting grass plus the specialist machinery needed would be both time consuming and expensive. Although all arising should be removed from footpaths by our Environmental Team.

Why are certain areas of verge grass and open space not cut while other areas are?
Locations where grass areas have been planted with bulbs e.g. daffodils and crocus will not be cut back until the leaves have started to die back, usually 6-8 weeks after flowering. This is good landscaping practice as it ensures bulbs will produce flowers the following year. Unfortunately these areas can become untidy in the interim.

There are also sections which are either under the Parish Council’s contract, The Parks Trust, private developers, housing associations and management agencies.  Please get in touch to check whether an area is under our responsibility.

Why are you cutting the grass when it’s wet?
Grass cutting is too large a scale operation to only proceed in optimum conditions, although it will be suspended in wet conditions when the likelihood of causing damage or operator safety outweighs the cutting priorities.

Why do you let the grass grow to different lengths in some areas?
This encourages the return of wild flora and fauna to our open spaces.  Also land use can help determine how long grass should be, for example more formal areas require shorter grass.

Ride-On Operation
Parish wards are mown on a cyclical programme between March and November.  The schedules are arranged to match the expected growing pattern of the grass and any specific management requirements for biodiversity, expected public use and highway safety.

Schedules can be delayed by public holidays and bad weather, as persistent rain can cause the ground to become too soft, leading to a risk of the ride-on mower becoming bogged, rutting and damaging the surface.  We are sometimes required to divert the crews away from their planned routes, or even suspend an operation entirely, recovering it later.  Mowing is also suspended during periods of prolonged dry weather.  The schedules can therefore be subject to sudden and radical alteration in response to environmental conditions.

See the link at the top of this page for this season’s grass-cutting schedule

The Winter Shrub Maintenance Schedule shows the estates and dates, when the winter pruning will be undertaken within the parish area.

This is subject to change for as some areas may take longer or be undertaken quicker than shown, and weather conditions such as snow may require the operation to be suspended.  Equally, very wet conditions may mean that there is no access for the machinery.

High winds and other extreme weather conditions may mean that the landscape resources are diverted to deal with emergencies such as clearing snowfall or removing broken branches and fallen trees.

Not all trees, shrubs and hedges require an annual prune.  Some operations, such as coppicing, where the planting is cut back for horticultural purposes (to allow the planting to regenerate and make new growth) may be many years apart.

When are hedges cut back? 
Hedges are cut back on an annual basis, although hedgerow maintenance is restricted by law. Therefore if a hedgerow is believed to be the home to nesting birds, we will be unable to carry out works until the birds have vacated. Usually this period is between the months of April – July.

I know the shrubs will grow again but what about my security/privacy?
Landscape plantings are designed and planted to soften the built environment rather than to act as a security or privacy barrier. Plants are living, ever-changing organisms and consequently do not have the static qualities, such as those of a fence, required for such a purpose.

Can you cut the shrubs back near my house as they collect dust and I believe they’re contributing to my asthma?
If anything the opposite will be true. Air quality is normally improved around trees, shrubs and grass. Leaves filter the air we breathe by removing dust and other particulates.

See the link at the top of this page for this season’s winter pruning schedule

Coppicing is the process of cutting back woody plants to approximately 100-150mm (4-6 inches) above ground level and allowing the stump or stool to re-grow. Most coppicing is carried out in the dormant season as the plants quickly re-grow when spring arrives.

Does the Parish Council undertake tree maintenance?
Under the terms of our contract agreement with MKCC, we will crown-lift tree branches above 2m on footways and 5m on highways.  Any other tree works and inspections will be carried out by MKCC, who have overall responsibility for trees on public land in the parish.

Information on tree maintenance by Milton Keynes Council can be found here.

Herbicides are used mainly for weed control in planted beds.  Where possible, we restrict the use of chemicals, however the cost of employing significant levels of staff to remove weeds manually would be prohibitive, and so some limited spraying is necessary.

In all areas of the parish, land is split between MKCC (most of which is covered under the Parish Council contract), The Parks Trust (including grid roads), housing associations, MK Community Foundation, building developers and private ownership.

MKCC’s mapping system can also help show which land is maintained by The Parks Trust or the Council by using the buttons at on the left-hand panel.  Please do get in touch to check whether areas fall under the responsibility of the Parish Council.  We will help wherever we can.

For “unadopted” land which is under the control of developers, please contact the developer directly.  The same applies for any housing association land.

Where plants from a property are affecting a highway or path, we can issue overhanging vegetation notices on behalf of MKCC in order to encourage the occupant to trim them back.  Further action would then be taken by MKCC if the work was not carried out.

Click here for more information about landscape work and maintenance across Milton Keynes (MKCC page, opens in new tab).

MKCC Environment & Waste Services

envservices@milton-keynes.gov.uk • 01908 252353 (out of hours 01908 226699)

The Parks Trust

www.theparkstrust.com/contact-us • info@theparkstrust.com • 01908 233600

MK Community Foundation

mkcommunityfoundation.co.uk/about/contact-us • info@mkcommunityfoundation.co.uk • 01908 690276

Play areas are regularly checked for damaged equipment, dog fouling, litter and anti-social behaviour. All this is carefully logged and where they cannot deal with the issue, pass the information to other agencies for action, making sure that such reports are followed up and dealt with.

If you have a problem, comment or want to pass on information, they are there to help, so please make use of their services.  Click here to see which parks are under parish management.

Parish Wardens carry out ad hoc litter picks throughout the year.  Our Community Officer leads local schoolchildren in monthly litter picks, and every year we hold a “Spring Clean” to carry out picks in each of our 8 parish wards.

Litter-picking kits are available to borrow from the Parish Office by arrangement with the Community Officer.  Contact us to request a picking kit or to report excessive litter around the parish.