Cllr Kate Parkinson (High Legh) and Cllr Charlotte Leach (Mobberley) have been working with their Parish Councils to address issues of roadside litter accumulation and the colonisation of the roadside verges by ragwort and other weeds identified in the 1953 Weeds Act 1959.
In addition, under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 it is an offence to plant, or cause to grow, in the wild, giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum), Japanese knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum) and some other listed weeds. Inspectors from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) have the power to inspect the land and serve an order requiring the owner to control the weeds.
To address these issues, Kate and Charlotte Contacted ANSA who came out to conduct litter picking along the B5569 Chester Rd.
In further good news, according to Highways, plans have been put in place to have the area weeded and the bund cut back, so all the detritus will be removed in September.
Kate further explained; “I had a walk around with our local Highways Officer, a local farmer and Rostherne Parish cllr, and Borough Cllr Leach a couple of weeks ago as the problem of weeds and ragwort is overlapping into both our Wards. Highways have listened to us and have arranged work to be carried out in Autumn, with further weed spraying in the spring to kill the roots”.
(Note- Pictures were taken by Cllr Parkinson when travelling as a passenger during her Ward Inspection!)
Note: The Weeds Act 1953 legislation aims to control a small number of pernicious agricultural weeds by requiring landowners to prevent them setting seed. The weeds are broad-leafed dock (Rumex obtusifolius), curled dock (Rumex crispus), creeping or field thistle (Cirsium arvense), spear thistle (Cirsium vulgare) and ragwort (Senecio jacobea).
