Agenda item

Herbicide-Free Weed Management

 

Council notes:

 

• That Cambridge Liberal Democrats called for the Council to adopt and trial herbicide-free weed management, both through the declaration of a Biodiversity Emergency in 2019 and through a motion proposing trials in two wards in 2021.

 

• That the Liberal Democrat motion received unanimous Council support and was welcomed by local environmental organisations and community groups.

 

• The important contribution made by Pesticide Free Cambridge and others in developing and supporting Cambridge’s herbicide-free ambition.

 

• That the trials demonstrated the environmental benefits of reducing herbicide use, but also identified significant operational challenges associated with replacing chemical treatment with mechanical and manual methods.

 

• That mechanical and manual weed removal is more labour-intensive, is affected by weather, seasonal growth, parked vehicles and accumulated detritus, and requires repeat visits because it does not prevent regrowth.

 

• That, following the trials and investment in specialist equipment, the Council moved to extend herbicide-free weed management across the city.

 

• That, since then, implementation has been slow, reflecting the difficult and time-consuming nature of herbicide-free weed removal and the need to tackle years of accumulated detritus alongside the visible growth. Consequently, a substantial number of areas are still awaiting treatment, and residents are understandably concerned about the condition of streets and public spaces.

 

• That responsibility for weed management is divided between Cambridge City Council, Cambridgeshire County Council and other landowners, requiring stronger coordination and clearer information for residents.

 

 

 

Council believes:

 

• That the Council-led ambition to end the routine use of herbicides remains the right approach for Cambridge and should not be abandoned because its implementation has proved more difficult than anticipated.

 

• That herbicide-free weed management supports the Council’s commitments to biodiversity, environmental protection and more sustainable management of public spaces.

 

• That environmental ambition must be matched by effective implementation, sufficient resources, suitable equipment and an honest assessment of what is required to deliver the service successfully.

 

• That Cambridge residents are entitled to streets and public spaces that are safe, accessible, properly maintained and attractive.

 

• That priority must be given to weed growth that obstructs footways, affects accessibility, restricts drainage, creates a safety concern or risks damage to highways and other infrastructure.

 

• That some vegetation can be tolerated where it does not affect safety, accessibility, drainage, infrastructure or the reasonable enjoyment of public space.

 

• That residents should be given clear information about the standards they can expect from an herbicide-free service, including the greater likelihood of seasonal growth and regrowth between treatments.

 

• That the present difficulties require decisive corrective action and additional support for the service, rather than any retreat from the Council’s herbicide-free commitment.

 

Council therefore calls on the Leader and Executive Councillor to:

 

• Reaffirm the Council’s commitment to the Liberal Democrat-led ambition of ending the routine use of herbicides on land managed by the City Council.

 

 

• Commission an urgent officer review of the current weed-management programme, identifying:
• the reasons for departure from the original programme;
• the extent of the outstanding work;
• the staffing, equipment and financial capacity required;
• the effectiveness and whole-life cost of the different mechanical and manual methods;
• the frequency of repeat treatment needed;
• seasonal and weather-related constraints;
• the effect of parked vehicles and other access restrictions; and
• opportunities for better coordination with the County Council, contractors, communities and other landowners.

 

• Bring forward a costed, non-recurring recovery programme to blitz outstanding priority areas and establish a manageable baseline for future maintenance.

 

• Ensure that any short-term intervention is supported by a sustainable annual maintenance programme, so that areas cleared through the recovery work receive appropriate repeat treatment.

 

• Develop a risk-based approach that prioritises safety, accessibility, drainage, transport routes and the protection of public infrastructure.

 

• Continue to test and evaluate new equipment and working methods, drawing on operational evidence from Cambridge and good practice elsewhere.

 

• Bring forward any necessary budget bid for 2027-28, clearly distinguishing between the one-off cost of recovering the service and the recurrent resources required to maintain it.

 

• Publish a clear statement for residents setting out responsibilities, priorities, expected service standards, seasonal constraints and how urgent concerns should be reported.

 

• Introduce transparent performance reporting covering areas completed, outstanding initial treatments, repeat visits, complaints, service requests, costs and operational learning.

 

• Report the findings of the review, together with costed options and a revised delivery programme, to the relevant scrutiny committee within an agreed timescale.