Overgrown graveyard described as "disrespectful" by councillor
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Cllr Macleod says he is exasperated with Lewes District Council (LDC) due to the condition of the Graveyard in his local village.
He says constant complaints from residents have been received about the condition of the graveyard, with long overgrown grass and a lack of wildflower planting. While Denton Graveyard is not a site where new burials take place, the graves there are visited.
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Hide AdCllr Sean Macleod, Newhaven North, said: “As I walk through the village of Denton where I live, I pass Denton Graveyard and am met with a disrespectful site, a messy and poorly maintained area. LDC say that their policy is to maintain the footpaths and let the rest be left to nature. But all this does is create long grass as there are no pollinating flowers in there and there is no colour, it just looks messy and the long grass just creates issues for pet owners with seeds getting wedged in dog paws.
“We live in a climate and ecological emergency and we have to make difficult decisions and choices but does this have to be at locations where we pay our respects to lost loved ones? I fully appreciate the difficult choices the council has to make and this is not an attack on the new administration at all, as they have just taken over, but bio-diversity should not be an excuse for poor maintenance.”
According to a statement from LDC: “As part of our work to improve biodiversity across Lewes district, we have been expanding our wildflower and grass areas alongside changing our mowing regimes. Denton graveyard is among the areas where wildflowers bloomed recently, attracting a wide range of pollinators, and now has mainly grass growing there which provides an important habitat for creatures such as beetles and lizards.
“Pathways through these grass areas are maintained and cut regularly to ensure people have access. Our biodiversity work has been praised by many residents who welcome the wider benefits of creating wildlife havens and increasing opportunities for pollination.”