Column from Liz Smith MSP (Mid Scotland and Fife) for the Kinross Newsletter
With the Scottish Parliament now in recess it is time for MSPs to spend much more time in their constituencies and regional areas, supporting local events and the agricultural shows.
That said, the recent General Election also provided plenty opportunity to meet our constituents and to listen to their concerns and that includes so many people across our rural communities who often feel a bit left out of mainstream politics. Safe to say, that during extensive visits to our smaller villages, hamlets and farms, I gained significant insight into the main issues facing rural dwellers.
One recurrent theme was the state of grass verges. Perth and Kinross Council has taken the decision to reduce the frequency of grass cutting which, as many will have noticed, has led to a surge of long grass alongside roads. In many of our hard-to-reach settlements this makes navigating windy roads increasingly dangerous as it is difficult to see what is coming around each corner.
Many constituents commented that, as part of the council “Grow Wild” scheme, several of our green spaces and parks have faced the same neglect. The scheme is advertised as seeking to boost biodiversity but sometimes that achieves very little other than making our villages and hamlets look a complete mess. And local people who care and take pride in their community are very concerned that the value of their properties will have diminished, putting off potential house buyers.
Aside from the visual aspect, it was also put to me that such neglect encourages vermin in our streets and inviting ticks into areas where children are playing and where dogs are being walked.
I would invite readers who have been affected by this change to share with me their views on the matter.
