Hedge and shrub cutting
We cut hedges and shrubs on council-owned land.
Individual hedges and shrubs are pruned every 4 to 5 years, depending on plant growth.
When we prune hedges and shrubs, we cut them back a long way – this may seem severe but it is the best action for future healthy growth.
By law, we only carry out pruning work between August and February to avoid disturbing nesting birds.
All planned pruning work is dependent on weather conditions.
For more details of our maintenance programmes, go to how often we cut grass, hedges and shrubs.
Boundaries with private land
Hedgerows on council-owned land and along highways must be cut back every 4 to 5 years, even if they act as a boundary with private land.
Private landowners are responsible for making sure their property is secure and should not rely on public hedgerows as a barrier.
We do not prune hedges and shrubs on private land, or where the land-owner is not known.
We will look into complaints of high hedges on private land if the hedge is over 2 metres high.