Roadside DIY mowing saves councils

Auckland City residents are being called upon to do their civic duty by rolling up their sleeves, cranking up the mower and keeping the grass berm outside their home neatly trimmed.

The streetside berm belongs to the city council, but it believes the power of keeping up with the Joneses is helping it save hundreds of thousands of dollars a year.

Council public safety and community order chairman Graeme Mulholland said he preferred to maintain his berm out of civic pride, and because he was fussy about how its edges looked.

"We appreciate people doing it themselves because if they didn't the rates would have to go up astronomically."

But city councillor Glenda Fryer says the do-it-yourself approach has resulted in streets looking scruffy and the city "Third World-ish".

She said the council used to send a mower along the streets fortnightly to deal with berms.

But in July 2002, after then Mayor John Banks commissioned former National Finance Minister Sir William Birch to report on cost-cutting ideas, the service was cut to 12 times a year, and fortnightly only for houses on main roads.

Berm-mowing costs shrank from $1,572,500 to $1,183,955 a year.

But saving money is not everything, says Mrs Fryer.

"It was a mistake and I want mowing restored to fortnightly when the grass is growing lots."

Mrs Fryer said unkempt berms were marking social divisions.

"You can tell which houses are rental properties by the berm grass.

"If you are short on money and it's a choice between spending on your kids or paying for the lawns to be cut, lawns will not be top priority."

"It's why you pay the council rates - to do the basic things."

"Berms should be the council's responsibility because they are council property.

"Well, the berm was when my dog got a ticket for sitting on it."

Mrs Fryer said the Eden-Albert Community Board backed her call for more mowing.

Greypower Auckland president Jens Meder said he had not heard members complain about mowing their berms.

"But there has been a lot of protests about rates going up and they won't like anything that increases the rates."

The council says it has received complaints about neighbours' berms, mainly from the city's eastern suburbs.

The council's call centre relays them to the mowing contractor.

About 40 per cent of property owners do not mow their berms, compared with 75 per cent who did not mow them when the council mowed fortnightly, said city streetscape services manager Surendra Dass.

Any return to the old policy could be expected to increase the number of berms needing mowing and thus costs.

"But we only offer basic grass-cutting, not lawn mowing, just to stop growth getting out of control."

Auckland City says it still provides the most comprehensive mowing service in the region.

In Manukau City, the council cuts berms once grass reaches 200mm high.

North Shore City Council insists that all residents mow berms unless they are physically unable to cope.

Waitakere City Council will attend to berms if they become a fire or traffic hazard or infested with noxious weeds.

Some berms are mowed by councils if bigger than 300sq m or likely to spoil the look of a town centre, public garden or they have a steep slope.Cutting the grass

* Auckland City: Council mows berms 12 times a year; fortnightly on main roads.

* Manukau City: Council cuts all berms once grass 200mm high.

* North Shore: Residents must mow, unless physically unable.

* Waitakere: Residents must mow, but council cuts berms that are a fire or traffic hazard, or infested with noxious weeds.