Walsall Council will review its rewilding program amid mixed community feedback at the upcoming meeting
Walsall: So, there’s a council meeting coming up where they’ll talk about the grass-cutting program. It’s been a bit of a hot topic lately. Last year, they only cut the grass in some areas once, which saved them a chunk of change—about £50,000. But, you know, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows.
Two years back, the government kicked off this big plan to create more wildlife habitats. The idea is to make green spaces better for both nature and the folks living nearby. Health benefits, less flooding, and lower costs are all part of the deal.
But here’s the kicker: the rewilding plan has faced some serious backlash. The council leader, Garry Perry, even admitted they didn’t handle things as well as they could have. Some people love the idea, but others think it just looks messy and makes the place feel less cared for.
There are also worries about things like anti-social behavior and kids not being able to play in the parks because of overgrown grass. It’s a mixed bag for sure.
Now, to balance the budget for 2025/26, they’re thinking about cutting back on grass cutting even more. They asked all 60 council members for their thoughts, but only 18 bothered to reply. And guess what? Most of them weren’t happy with how the green spaces were being kept up.
On Tuesday, the Place and Environment Team will share their findings at the meeting and see what the council members think. It’ll be interesting to see how this all plays out!
