Grass Cutting

The maintenance of most grassed verges is the overall responsibility of Lincolnshire County Council as the authority responsible for Highways. While the County Council has this responsibility, in 2016, they passed on the maintenance of grass verges to town and parish councils. Boston Borough Council previously maintained all grass verges on behalf of Lincolnshire County Council but it recently returned the responsibility to Lincolnshire County Council, which means that it is responsible for maintaining its own assets only.

Maps showing areas of responsibility for maintenance are now available (PDF, 2 MB)

Responsibilities Breakdown

Boston Borough Council

- Maintaining parks, public gardens, and certain designated areas owed by BBC.

- Ensuring that public spaces within the borough remain clean and accessible for residents and visitors.

Lincolnshire County Council

- responsible for the maintenance of all grass verges within the County.

Landlords and Housing Associations

- Responsible for the upkeep of grassed areas and grounds within their property boundaries.

- Ensuring that the residential spaces they manage remain tidy and safe for tenants.

Why has the grass not been cut?

Firstly we must identify if the area in question is to be maintained by the Council, because it could be in the ownership of others, and therefore not our responsibility. Secondly, if it is an area that the Council should be maintaining, then we need to check why it is not being cut, and then act as necessary. When we are made aware of any missed grass we will endeavour our very best to get the grass cut as soon as possible.

Why have you stopped grass cutting?

Grass cutting can be suspended during persistent wet weather conditions when there is a likelihood of causing damage, creating an eyesore or concerns over operator safety.

Why are the grass cuttings not taken away?

It is currently not Boston Borough Council standard practice to 'box off' grass cuttings, and therefore the grass cuttings are not collected but left to go back into the ground. If we were to remove grass cuttings we would more than double the costs of this service, and the ground would deteriorate as cuttings and leaves put nutrients back into the ground. We do sweep or blow off any cuttings that get transferred to footpaths at the time of cutting.