IN Chellaston, the boundary between Derby City and South Derbyshire runs along Snelsmoor Lane.
On one side of the lane, the grass verges are green and well-kept, while on the other there is little sign of grass, and what remains resembles harvest stubble. No, dear reader, I am not giving out any prizes for guessing which grass verges belong to whom.
I think it would be fair to say that Labour-controlled Derby City Council has been very selective in the manner in which it has imposed government cuts in the last couple of years.
Some of us may take the view that some of these cuts follow a political agenda rather than serving the needs of the city's residents. I think it would also be fair to say that the council is not fully on board when it comes to implementing the Prime Minister's Big Society agenda. One of the mainstays of this agenda is to encourage locals to take an active role in their communities which, to you and I, means volunteering.
The Labour Party is not big on volunteers, particularly if the work they do would otherwise be done by a paid employee.
I fully support this stance and would never take away a man's job by doing it for free. That said, let's get back to the grass verges that are not being cut as often as they previously were.
I do not know if the council has decreased its manpower accordingly but I suspect not. However, the verges still need to be cut and, if they are not, they will deteriorate beyond the point whereby they can be restored to a reasonable condition. After that, all the verges in Derby will need to be dug over and replanted or, alternatively, paved.
The question that needs to be asked is why the council has not asked residents to cut the verge outside their own houses themselves. Is this such a bad idea? Most of us own a lawnmower, and are fit enough to mow our own lawns, so why not do the grass verge at the same time and do your elderly neighbours' as well?
Derby born and bred, I am very proud of our city and want it to look nice for residents and visitors alike. Derby City Council has to make cuts and this is understood. However, those of us who can should be encouraged to mow our grass verges, pick up the litter and trim the hedges next to our own homes. You could also do your neighbours' as well, particularly if they are not physically able to do it themselves.
