More parks and verges across Reading will be left overgrown as part of the council's plans to 'rewild' the town.

The borough council has approved plans to reduce grass cutting which will also help save the authority thousands of pounds.

Rewilding is the practice of allowing grass and wildflowers to grow in places that would previously have been cut by mowing.

Reading Borough Council's 'Rewilding Project' has been running since the spring of 2020.

The scheme has saved approximately £30,000 over the last four years (with £15,000 being saved in the 2021/22 and 2022/23 financial years).

Now, Reading Borough Council is expanding its rewilding project to cover more than 50 hectares in 58 locations across the town.

The expansion of rewilding was discussed at the latest meeting of its housing, neighbourhoods and leisure committee.

Councillor Jan Gavin (Labour, Caversham) did acknowledge that opinions on among neighbours are split on rewilding, while voicing her own support for the project.

She said: "I enjoy the verges and fringes of our parks abundant with wildlife.

"I think there is a re-education programme still to go on, and I'm sure we all have residents who will complain about the verges not being cut and looking trimmed.

"But I think that's on us as local councillors to explain to them why it is so important that we keep these areas."

However, she raised concerns that the cutting of grass, when it is done, reveals a large amount of litter, particularly along Oxford Road.

Laughing, cllr Gavin said: "It looks terrible now! Some people may be pleased that we've got nice short grass, but it's full of litter, and that was concealed when it was wilded.

"It just gets caught in the wind or doesn't get moved naturally, or people who don't care about these things just their litter and it can't be seen in the long grass."

She suggested that litter picks could be coordinated with annual grass cuts.

The project means that areas are cut on an annual basis.

The council had previously had a project leader to manage rewilding efforts and coordinate with its grounds maintenance team.

However, the position has been vacant for more than 18 months, with recruiting now taking place for a senior technical officer to lead the project.

The council is also working with the Urban Planting charity for an additional hectare of rewilded land.

Finally, the council encourage public opinion and recommendations
for future wildflower and rewilding sites, which can be suggested by emailing rewilding@reading.gov.uk .