Mum claims council allowed grass to grow 4ft tall

from hay fever and the uncut grass made life harder for those with the condition. His eyes were streaming and his throat closing because of the pollen.

She complained that there was so much pollen around that even drying clothes outside was a nightmare.

Kath said she had in writing a pledge from the council that they would cut the grass twice a year, at the start and towards the end of the season, but last year the ‘late’ cut never happened.

She said it was the earlier cut that was most important and needed to be done before the time of the season for hay fever sufferers was at its worst.

“Firstly it is a health issue, particularly early on with the pollen count,” she said. “I don’t suffer from hey fever but even my eyes have been running. Surely if I had land not maintained correctly for health reasons they would insist it was. “It is all to do with the money. “Then there is the access issue the path is badly maintained anyway, the grass is encroaching and growing out of it.

“Dogs were jumping up and down to see their way ahead.”

Calderdale Council’s Cabinet member for Communities and Neighbourhood Services, Clr Susan Press said the council was sympathetic to hay fever sufferers’ plight.

“We’re sorry to hear that our maintenance of the grass areas off Whitwell Green Lane in Elland is causing problems with hay fever for a local resident,” she said.

“Although the long spell of dry weather has been welcome for some, this, coupled with the late spring this year has unfortunately meant that the pollen count has been particularly high recently.

“The grass in this area was cut earlier this month as part of our spring and summer grounds maintenance schedule.”

Clr Press said the council’s Safer, Cleaner, Greener team was responsible for grounds maintenance across the borough, including over 120 sports pitches and playing fields, 26 parks, 30 ornamental gardens and displays and more than 120 play areas.

“They also look after many other public areas, open spaces, school grounds and highway verges,” she said.