Grounds maintenance

Tell us about issues with fields, parks, open spaces, shrubs and trees.

Report it.

What areas of grass do we cut?

The council has a team of staff that looks after the maintenance of our grassed areas around our borough. Across North Tyneside there is approximately 13.5 million square metres of grass, which includes open spaces, highway verges, cricket fields, sports pitches, bowling greens and mini golf. Before we cut the grass all litter and other debris will be cleared.

When is the grass cutting season?

Due to climatic influences, grass is cut from March to October with the option to extend into early November if required. The main growing season for grass falls within the months of April, May, June, and July. The rate at which grass grows depends on many factors, such as rainfall, sunshine, and soil quality.

Grass cutting will cease during periods when the ground conditions are too wet, to prevent any damage occurring and during extended dry spells when the grass is not growing. Operations will recommence as and when the conditions permit. During these periods our team is redeploying onto other tasks such as back up strimming and edging.

How often is the grass cut?

There are different grass standards applied depending on the location and purpose of the grassed area:

• Parks, open spaces, and amenity grass:
• An average of 13 cuts (weather dependent)
• Average of every 20 days

• Sports pitches:
• Up to 21 cuts (weather dependent)
• Average of every 14 days

• Bowling / Cricket Squares:
• 2 cuts per week
• Cut from 2nd week of April 1st week of September

• Golf Greens (Mini Golf):
• 1 cut per week
• Cut from early April until late October (weather dependent)

• Biodiversity areas:
• 1 cut per year in October

• Back up strimming:
• 1 per year

Collecting Grass Cuttings

Unfortunately to collect all grass cuttings throughout the borough would be extremely labour intensive and increase the cost of grass cutting approximately five-fold due to the additional staff, vehicles, fuel and disposal costs. Please be assured that when excessive quantities of grass cuttings are left on hard surfaces, they are blown back onto grassed areas.

This approach, forms part of our Environmental Standards policy, which was last revised and agreed by council in 2019.  There are currently no plans to review this.

Grass requires cutting around obstacles.

All obstacles are treated with herbicide as part of our planned weed spraying programme, and we aim to carry out one strim during the summer months

Edging of grass

Edging work is carried out during winter months between October and the end of February. Individual Estates will be edged every 4 years on average.

Why has the grass in some areas not been cut?

The council has a commitment to biodiversity to protect habitats and species in the borough. Our grass cutting arrangements in many parts of the borough will help these local habitats. 

Weed spraying in the street environment

3 rounds of treatments are planned each year, each round of treatment includes spraying of hard surfaces and obstacles, however only the 1st round includes the application of a residual chemical to obstacles. The spraying of hard surfaces and all subsequent rounds of treatment to obstacles are done with a contact herbicide only, as per regulations that residual chemicals can only be applied once at a location in a 12-month period.

Hedges and Shrubs

• Shrub bed maintenance:
• Pruning once per year
• Weeds are removed once per year
• Shrub areas are treated with herbicide once per year
• Mulching with recycled wood chippings is carried out during the winter  

Some shrub areas will be reviewed to consider alternative maintenance e.g., replanting with more sustainable/manageable planting, or removal and grassing over.

• Hedges:
• 1 cut per year

Maintenance of hedges and shrubs takes place between October and the end of February. They may be faced off more regularly if there is a need for the health and safety of the public.

Are you a council tenant and need help with maintaining your garden? 

North Tyneside Council works in partnership with our Neighbourhood Delivery Team to provide a Garden Care Scheme Service to vulnerable, disable and elderly tenants.

Due to their personal circumstances these groups may have more difficulty keeping their gardens tended.