Northumberland County Council (NCC) and Blyth Town Council have joined forces this year to step up efforts to control weed growth across the town, enhancing the county's regular weed treatment programme with additional targeted action.

NCC carries out routine weed control between April and October each year using chemical herbicides based on Glyphosate. This substance, which has been the subject of thorough testing and regulatory assessment by bodies such as the European Union, and the World Health Organisation, is approved and licensed for amenity use. It is considered to be non-toxic to dogs and other domestic animals.

In April, NCC completed its standard town-wide weed spray in Blyth. Building on this, Blyth Town Council has funded three additional weed control cycles to improve the appearance and cleanliness of public areas.

The first enhanced cycle took place between May and July and included mechanical weed removal and spot spraying in all town wards where weeds had persisted after the April treatment.

The second cycle is set to begin imminently and will see an increased number of operatives equipped with knapsack sprayers and quad bikes deployed to provide comprehensive coverage.

A third enhanced cycle will follow later in the season, again combining mechanical weed removal and spot spraying. NCC will then carry out its final routine spray before the end of the weed control period.

Blyth Town Council has acknowledged ongoing concerns from residents regarding visible weed growth in parts of the town and will be reviewing the impact of the enhanced weed control programme with NCC.

We appreciate residents' patience as we continue to tackle this issue.

Residents are encouraged to report any specific areas of concern to NCC via Fix My Street to help direct future weed control efforts effectively.

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