By Tania Phillips
COMMUNITIES across the Southern Downs region will now have more clarity about the levels of service that Southern Downs Regional Council will provide for the mowing of open spaces, with criteria approved at the council’s recent general meeting.
Southern Downs mayor Tracy Dobie said that over the past six months the council had completed a review of the open space areas that it maintained.
“The review highlighted that over the years there has been a gradual creep in the mowing that is done along footpaths and in parks right around the region, over and above what the generally agreed locations and levels were,” she said.
“Now, the council has a guideline that clearly defines the areas that will be mowed, based on four zonings in the Southern Downs Planning Scheme, and sets out the extent of the mowing that will be done.
“The new criteria establishes fair and equitable, value for money open space service levels that are consistent for communities across the Southern Downs.”
Towns and villages portfolio councillor Sheryl Windle welcomed the changes, which she said created a more level playing field for communities in the region.
“The council acknowledges that the approach to mowing of footpath areas hasn’t always been the same in all locations and in all communities,” she said.
“The changes mean that there is no longer uncertainty about which footpaths get mowed, and why some don’t.
“It has generally been accepted that in residential areas, property owners maintain their own frontage and footpaths, and do so to a very high standard.
“The guidelines re-affirm this by focussing on areas outside of those zoned residential.
“And most importantly, it creates a consistent approach that can be applied across the board, in a way that provides transparency, with the guidelines available for public scrutiny, and offers criteria that the levels of service can be measured against.”
