A Pesticide-Free Borough - Our Three-Year Plan

On Tuesday night I proposed, and my coalition colleague Cllr Redpath seconded, a motion connected to a petition to make Guildford Pesticide and Herbicide free. The petition and the organisers from Guildford Environmental Forum raised an incredibly important environmental and ecological issue with Guildford Borough.

The general usage of chemicals such as Glyphosate on our parks, streets and buildings can cause biodiversity damage as well as pose a serious risk to public and animal health. As such Guildford Borough Council has now committed to the following:

"The Council aspires to become a pesticide and herbicide-free borough (to the greatest extent possible), following an agreed three-year phase-out plan".

This is the statement Full Council agreed to on Tuesday night. However, it is all very well making statements but what are the action points? Here is what we plan:

• No use of Glyphosate except for specified invasive and/or noxious weeds and tree root removal on our parks, sports pitches, heritage, and countryside areas.
  An example of these species would be Japanese Knotweed and would start from New Years Day 2022. This would be the first step with further steps being to transfer over to alternative solutions when practically possible.
• Review the contract for road verge management with SCC to include ambitious trials of alternative vegetation management.
  Currently, GBC has a contract with Surrey County Council whereby highways are sprayed with Glyphosate to kill and then prevent weeds from growing. This review would ask us to be included in trials of alternative methods, such as the boiling foam solution, which is being trialled by Tanbridge Borough Council and a reduction in Glyphosate usage. This review will take place in the middle of next year.
• Adoption of new chemical, pesticide and fertiliser policy and action plan.
  GBC currently has a Parks and Countryside plan with some good examples of best practice but this action plan would cover the whole council and is now scheduled for the Summer of next year.

There are also a range of other action points, including

• No chemical use within playparks after July 2022.
• Liaison with Forestry Commission to stop chemical treatment in selected areas where this does not pose an unacceptable risk for public health.
• Continue working with community groups (e.g. Guildford Environmental Forum and Pesticides Action Network) to enable manual removal of controllable weeds and scrub control and to undertake trials of alternatives to chemicals.

These points provide the best route for Guildford Borough to become a pesticide-free borough and bring us in line with our liberal and independent colleagues in Waverley Borough Council and other authorities around the country as well as allowing our Borough's wildlife and biodiversity a fighting chance to bloom and grow.

By Cllr James Steel, Councillor for Westborough and Lead Councillor for the Environment
9th December 2021