Hertfordshire County Liberal Democrats in a Bid to Save Wild Flowers
At the Hertfordshire County Council Meeting on 16th July County Councillor, Steve Jarvis, who represents Royston West & Rural - and is also the North Herts District Councillor for Weston & Sandon - proposed a motion calling on HCC to bring forward proposals to manage highway maintenance in ways that improve bio-diversity.
His motion was seconded by County Councillor Stephen Giles-Medhurst, who represents Central Watford & Oxhey and is the Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Herts County Council.
Cllr Steve Jarvis is the Co-Chair of the Cabinet Panel on the Environment of North Herts District Council, the other Co-Chair being the Labour Councillor Elizabeth Dennis-Harburg.
Cllr Jarvis is also the District Council Cabinet Member responsible for the environment and for leisure.
The wording of the motion was as follows:
"This Council notes that a number of other highway authorities have adopted the planting of wild flowers and other alternative methods of managing highway verges that improve bio-diversity without increasing the cost of verge maintenance. Whilst recognising that there are areas where vegetation must be cut for reasons of highway safety it believes that there are opportunities for adopting such strategies on many of Hertfordshire's roads.
The Council notes that in March 2019 it agreed a motion on the Pollinator Action Plan and notes that the Council has already recognised the need for such measures.
It also notes growing concern about the bio-diversity and potential health impacts of the widespread use of glyphosphate weed killers on the edges of the highway network.
It requests the Executive Member for Highways and the Environment to bring forward proposals to manage the maintenance of the highway in ways that improve bio-diversity."
However the Chairman determined that the motion be not debated and would be referred to the Highways and Environment Cabinet Panel for consideration at its next meeting on 11th September, 2019.