.. you can tell it's the close season. Anyone know why the roadside verges coming into town are like a cross between the fookin rain-forest and some third world 'Most bombed town of the year award winner' .
Let me guess, it's some eco loony thing for the wildlife (which roughly translated means ... don't bother cutting the grass, say it's down to global warming etc that shuts everyone up and we save a packet) ..or am I being a tad cynical ?

I'm sick of getting lashed by plants while I;m out on my bike

Is it done by the council or contractors.

Apparently it's done by nobody.

The grass-cutting rota works around local elections. On the day of the election, the verges get cut,just as a little reminder to tell us how wonderful our council is...

There's reports of gardener's being attacked by giant Triffids down here ..

I hate to say it but Liverpool put all their grass cutting out to contract and it looks brilliant now.

Same with the bins at one time they had fields full of stinking emergency tips cos of repeated bin strikes. All out to contract now and immaculate service.

the verges will look like bowling greens this time next year, theyre saving up their money so they can cut them twice a day untill the 2nd week in august is past

Unfortunately whilst technically a variable cost, the cost of labour is more of a fixed cost and therefore not available to be put into reserves,i.e. they'd have to sack all the council grass cutting employees to save the money.

However if they did that the ex employees wouldn't be likely to vote labour and that includes employees of the council who may be related to a Councillor if there were any allegedly that is.

Is the council the largest employer in Hartlepool by any chance.

The largest employer must be all those car valeting places.