LEDBURY is facing another summer of long grass in public places, and very limited cuts.

Balfour Beatty, Herefordshire Council's contractor, is planning another limited grass-cutting schedule, with just three cuts pencilled in for most areas, and six for "high priority" areas, such as play areas.

The Balfour Beattie cutting plan for 2015 was revealed at a town council meeting in the Market House last week, by Cllr Phill Bettington and Cllr Terry Widdows, who are Herefordshire councillors for Ledbury.

Chairing the environment and leisure meeting, Cllr Martin Eager said: "We could have another year of long grass and people moaning, and we as a town council can't do anything about it."

The limited cuts plan for Herefordshire Council is in sharp contrast to the grassy areas in Ledbury Town Council ownership, such as the Recreation Ground, where the grass is still cut as least once a week in season.

But although the town council has discussed taking on more areas for grass cutting, including the Walled Garden and Queen's Walk, town councillors are yet to agree and no final decision has been made.

This is partly because the town council has agreed in principle to look on taking a maintenance person, a so-called lengthsman, for some basic road repairs, including some potholes.

But town councillors are still to support an "enhanced lengthsman scheme", which may or may not cover some grass cutting duties.

Both would draw in some funding from Herefordshire Council, with £4500 on the table for a "basic lengthsman scheme".

But town councillors are wary about taking on an enhanced lengthsman scheme without clear figures as to how much the extra duties might eventually cost the town council's purse and its council tax-payers.

Cllr Tony Bradford saw little reason to help out Herefordshire Council in this way.

He said: "Herefordshire Council is responsible for these services, so why should we ask our council tax payers to fund grass cutting? I have a problem with going in blindly, just because some people want to please the local authority."

Deputy Mayor, Cllr Rob Yeoman said: "We need the details of how it is going to work before we make a final decision."

Cllr Paul Winter said: "We have the time to get figures. I am absolutely not in favour of basing our budget on pure conjecture."

The town council might consider taking on extra grass cutting duties, at the Walled Garden and Queen's Walk, if this means that Balfour Beatty will be freed up for more grass cutting elsewhere, and this is a point of clarification which the town council is seeking from Herefordshire Council.

Cllr Jayne Roberts sounded a note of caution.

She said: "It seems to me we would be taking on something without guarantees that extra cuts would take place anywhere else."

Cllr Widdows said: "If we take on the Walled Garden and Queen's Walk, we could get 12 Balfour Beattie cuts redirected elsewhere. If they don't go elsewhere, we don't take them on. Herefordshire Council can do the cuts in the Walled Garden and Queen's Walk. Simple."

The town council is also seeking clarification if an "enhanced lengthsman scheme" could indeed be used for grass-cutting duties, and not just for road repairs and verge maintenance.

These issues will be discussed further at a future town council meeting, when there will be more information available.