A local councillor has lashed out at Edinburgh City Council for the “out of control” weed problem in the Almond ward of the capital.
Cllr Kevin Lang had taken to social media to express his displeasure at the problem that is plaguing pavements across the north west city ward.
In comments shared with Edinburgh Live, the Liberal Democrat councillor said that some weeds had become so out of control that they are around seven feet in height.
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The local representative has said that it is the worst he has seen the problem in his four years as a councillor and implores the council to keep the city “clean and tidy.”
He said, “The weeds situation across the city is simply out of control. Everywhere you look, you see weeds sprouting out of roads and pavements. It is by far the worst I’ve seen in my four years as a councillor. In parts of my ward, I’ve seen weeds at almost 7ft in height.
“Keeping the city clean and tidy is one of the most basic jobs for the Council and one of the key things residents rightly expect in return for their council tax. Yet this kind of basic maintenance just never seems to be of interest to the SNP and Labour councillors in charge.
“It is not just a case of it looking messy, overgrown weeds can create uneven walking and cycling surfaces which can be a real danger. That’s why this kind of maintenance needs to be made a priority”.
It is believed that the roundabout on Cramond Road South has been badly affected by the lack of treatment for overgrown weeds.
But the transport and environment convener, Cllr Lesley Macinnes, has said that the council ground maintenance team is operating at around 50 percent capacity due to the increase in workers being required to self isolate.
She said: “Our grounds maintenance and street cleansing teams work extremely hard to tend to the city’s parks and keep our streets clear of weeds. However, like towns and cities across the country, the last 18 months have been extremely challenging for Council services.
"Now, as life opens up and we have more contact with others, some of our colleagues are having to self-isolate in line with Government guidance on working safely during the ongoing pandemic.
“As a result our ground maintenance teams are currently working at around 50% capacity, which is impacting weed control. The combination of sunny and wet weather has also created perfect growing conditions for all greenery but we’re working as quickly as possible to catch up and will be enlisting additional resources to help achieve this.
"I would like to thank residents for their patience as our Council colleagues make every effort to get round the city.”
