Manuka Reserve gets a quick trim

Masterton's Manuka Reserve has been tidied up but a regular maintenance schedule will need to be funded under next year's annual plan.

Masterton District councillors will decide on whether to fund a maintenance programme when the annual plan is considered later this year.

Councillor Garry Caffell expressed his disgust at the state of the Lansdowne reserve at a council meeting in 2011, urging council to clean it up and cut the grass.

Chief executive Wes ten Hove said contractors had cut some of the long grass in the reserve as it was a fire risk and sprayed the edges of the paths.

He said the reserve was "casually maintained" by council staff and volunteers now.

Councillors will have the option to ask for more regular maintenance when they debate the annual plan, which will open for public input in March or April.

"If that's what council wants, they'll have to vote for it," he said.

Mr ten Hove said there is about $5000 to $10,000 in a provisional budget to maintain the reserve.