A HOUSING and communities company accused of allowing a town to look like a ‘hotchpotch mess’ because of substandard grass cutting has vowed to tackle the problem.

Members and officers at Chilton Town Council say that 2018 is the third year running that they have received complaints from residents about grass cutting and associated works around the town, which Livin is responsible for.

When Livin, originally called Sedgefield Borough Homes, took over the council housing supply from the old Sedgefield Borough Council in 2009 it also became responsible for maintenance of some green spaces.

Chilton Town Clerk Paul Gray said: “The grass cutting is a recurring problem year on year and despite the town council’s best efforts to try and raise concerns with Livin the past two years, it seems 2018 is going to be no different.

“Concerns include a poor standard of grass cutting, which is not done nearly often enough, and some patches not touched at all.

“When it is done the edge aren’t finished, the clippings are just left all over paths and even get blown onto people’s doors and steps.”

He said some people blame the council for the problem but the areas of concern all fall under Livin’s remit.

He said the town council only covers Durham Road, play areas and the cemetery along with planters and flower tubs; Durham County Council looks after most public open spaces and Livin is responsible for areas around tenants’ properties.

Mr Gray added: “We cut our little bit of space every week, the county council cuts its on a different day but Livin uses a subcontractor which I reckon lets grass go 15 to 20 days before it gets cut.

“As a consequence the place is a hotchpotch mess, all grass at different lengths.”

Mr Gray said the town council had been frustrated by a lack of progress by Livin after repeated complaints, which he believed had also been taken up by the town’s Durham County Councillor Christine Potts, portfolio holder for neighbourhood and local partnerships Cllr Brian Stephen and Sedgefield MP Phil Wilson.

Vicky Miller, from Livin, said: “We too are disappointed with the standard of grass cutting from our contractor and are seeking a meeting with them to find an immediate solution to this problem.”