FAST growing spring grass is again causing a headache in Tavistock's open spaces, members of the town council's properties committee heard at their meeting last week.
With more than a third of the council's grounds workforce on long-term sick leave and May being the month when grass grows quickest, tough decisions were needed to be made on which areas of land were mowed first, the meeting heard.
Cllr Ted Sherrell said he could understand the problems staff faced but felt it was a situation which could have been forecast long ago.
'Long-term, we have to ensure that in another spring, this doesn't happen again,' he said.
'Perhaps it needs to be contracted out?'
Cllr Sherrell felt cemeteries should take priority in the grass cutting queue.
Cllr Betty Batchelor was concerned that children's play areas should come first.
'I want to make a plea for the Bishopsmead play park. They've done such a lot with that area, they've raised a terrific amount of money themselves and this is our responsibility, I would hate it to be spoilt for the sake of the grass being cut,' she said.
Cllr Brian Trew said if the grass in play areas was left too long, they ended up being used more as a 'dog loo' and people were then reluctant to let their children play there. He agreed play areas should take a high priority.
Cllr Peter Jones, chairman of the finance committee, said grass cutting was a perennial problem because the council could not control the weather.
And Cllr Mandy Govier said the council should let the new works superintendent 'get his feet under the table' before councillors made hard and fast rules about which areas were mowed first.
The committee heard the clerk was in negotiations with the borough council over contracting out grass cutting at the Courtlands Road, Bannawell Street and Whitchurch open areas.
Priority for town council grass cutting would be given to play areas and the grassed areas in the Meadows, followed by the Plymouth Road Cemetery, other open spaces and lastly Dolvin Road cemetery.