LISKEARD’S mayor has welcomed a new verge-cutting policy in towns and villages across Cornwall.

Wild flowers and plants have flourished on ’urban verges’ in the county during the pandemic, as the usual mowing and strimming has not taken place.

Insects and pollinators have also thrived as a result.

Typically, these sites would be mown around eight times a year starting in Spring. But now, in keeping with the council’s aim to create a greener Cornwall, it has drawn up new plans which will see changes to the way it manage verges.

Annual cuts will be more than halved from eight times to only two or three, while cutting will be done after the flowers have finished and seeds are set.

Geoff Brown, Cabinet Member for Transport, said: ‘The council has decided not to cut developing wildflowers and species-rich grasslands on our urban verges, but instead wait for the natural rhythms of nature to allow the plants to set seed before cutting is reintroduced. This will allow grounds maintenance teams to change the regime for these urban verges to a more ecological approach. The current lockdown has allowed many of the verges to grow naturally and has created a wonderful display of wildflowers which are of great benefit to pollinators and the planet in general.’

The council will still be tidying path edges, cutting around benches and fixtures, ensuring visibility for safety reasons, and removing noxious weeds. And on the highway, cutting at junctions and bends already takes place only for reasons of safety and visibility.

And in two towns, Liskeard and Redruth, when the grass is cut later in the year the clippings will be collected using a special mower to reduce the fertility of grass in these areas, helping to encourage greater biodiversity in the long term.

Looe Cornwall Councillor Edwina Hannaford is the Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods and Climate Change. She said: ‘The environmental and ecological benefits of this new approach will be significant and align well with the Council’s Climate Change targets. Besides which, we’ve all been enjoying how many urban verges have become alive with colour. During the pandemic we have seen nature take back control and thrive.’

Cabinet Member for Environment, Rob Nolan, added: ‘Cornwall Council intends to strike that delicate balance between ensuring road safety while leaving ecology and biodiversity undisturbed wherever possible.’

Mayor of Liskeard, Rachel Brooks, said: ‘Like lots of people locally I’ve really enjoyed seeing the wildflowers during lockdown and knowing that bees and other pollinators are benefiting. I’m really glad we can build on this with a sensitive approach which keeps most of the flowers, but also provides neat edges. I hope this will be one of many areas where we can learn from our lockdown experiences and do things differently and better.’