Bolton council has pledged to ‘significantly improve’ grounds maintenance at cemeteries after a rise in complaints about overgrown grass.

The full council heard that some relatives of people buried in the borough’s cemeteries viewed the current state of some cemeteries as ‘an insult to their loved ones’.

The council has pledged to review and improve services and blamed recent wet weather for a ‘later start’ to maintenance work. Westhoughton councillor David Wilkinson brought up the issue.

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Woman's upset after grass not cut at cemetery

He said: “Overgrown grass in cemeteries is of major importance to many people. “It’s something which upsets them, it offends them, it makes them angry.

“Most members will have had complaints about this, I’ve had a lot.

“I recently visited Westhoughton cemetery and saw a woman, late 80s, in a wheelchair, visiting a grave surrounded by grass inches deep.

“For those who have loved ones in the council’s cemeteries they view the conditions as an insult to their relatives. “The excuse put forward is that ‘it’s wet and warm’ however other authorities have managed to keep on top of the grass cutting issues and maintain their cemeteries.

“Even the half hearted attempts to cut the grass have resulted in a poor job being done.” Cllr Wilkinson asked for an assurance that the ‘deplorable state’ of cemeteries would be resolved to a high standard of work and that the

current problems not take place again.

Responding, cabinet member Richard Silvester, said that a number of issues had led to a later start to grass cutting operations this year.

He said: “The extremely wet weather in March and April led to soft ground which prevented the use of heavier grass cutting equipment.

“The machines would have sunk in the soft soil and caused long lasting damage to open grass areas. “Wet grass is also difficult to cut and strim and does not blow off memorials in the same way it does in dry weather.

“A team has been formed to specifically for grass cutting in cemeteries and are now working their way around to cut back the grass and do general ground works. “In the longer term the service is exploring options for next year and will make appropriate changes in order to make significant improvements

to the cemetery service.”