The information below has come from Cornwall Council.

As we were starting to get a lot of comments from people who do not live in Millbrook the comments facility has been now been disabled.   For your feedback please contact Cornwall Council directly. 

https://letstalk.cornwall.gov.uk/weed-management

Email received 31st March 2026 from Cornwall Council via Localism Team

Circulation: Clerks of Town & Parish Councils, South East Cornwall Community Area Partnership

c.c. Cornwall Councillors and Chair & Vice-Chair of CAP

Dear Colleague,

Public Realm Improvement and Re-introduction of Weed Treatment

Cornwall Council’s Cabinet has instructed Cornwall Highways & Environment Services to begin a new programme of weed treatment and public realm improvements across Cornwall. This decision follows evidence of declining standards since routine weed management stopped in 2013, resulting in increasing complaints, narrowing footways, damaged surfaces, and perceived reduced community pride.

We have reviewed options and have directed Cormac Solutions Limited to carry out the following on the adopted highway network:

• Targeted manual and mechanical weed removal on the very worst-affected estates (one per CAP)
• Carefully controlled, limited chemical treatment only on the urban highway network where weeds are present, using modern Controlled Droplet Application methods to minimise quantity and footprint.
• Improvements to amenity and environmental areas, including enhanced cutting and better management of urban verges.
• Partnership working with local councils and volunteers, supporting local pride and community involvement.

Please note this directive does not apply to private areas or areas maintained via the waste contract.

The aim of this recovery programme is to restore safe, accessible streets and deliver consistent standards across Cornwall. We want to support strong, safe, clean and well-maintained communities and to ensure Cornwall’s neighbourhoods reflect the pride residents have in where they live.

The default position is that all Cornwall Council maintained areas are opted in, this will include all adopted highway within urban areas as it was in 2013. An opt-out option is available for Town and Parish Councils that wish to manage their areas without chemical treatment, provided they can meet the required standards and protect asset integrity.

In the first instance Town and Parishes should send responses and Opt-out forms before the 20th of April 2026 to your Community Link Officers (CLO) who will collate responses and feed this information through to Cornwall Highways who will then pick up further contact.

We appreciate this is short notice, given the operational need to commence weed treatment at the beginning of May.  However, if meeting this deadline is not possible because you will not be able to consider this at a council meeting before this date, please can you let your CLO know the earliest you will be able to make a decision.

Please disregard this correspondence if you already undertake weed management on behalf of Cornwall Council under a previous agreement.

Please find enclosed (in suggested order of review):

1. The all-member briefing provided to members on the 6th of March 2026.
2. The Public Realm Improvement and Weed Management FAQ
3. The 2013 maps which will be used for the first treatment (NOTE:Green= new treatment area, Red = area as treated via the Waste contract in 2013.) We have attached the maps relevant to your parish area.
4. A draft copy of the Town and Parish Council Opt-Out Agreement
5. Town and Parish Council Opt-Out Guidance
6. Town and Parish Council Opt-Out Form

Yours sincerely,
Dhywgh hwi yn hwir
Cornwall Council
Connectivity and Environment Service
Circulated by Localism team

Questions submitted to Cornwall Council on 2nd April 2026 – with responses received on 7th April 2026 shown below (in blue)

1. Has there been any consultation / publicity prior to the Improvement Maintenance of the Public Realm being implemented?
   The Council’s communications team is currently preparing the public‑facing materials and the Let’s Talk page. An All-member briefing was conducted on the 6th March, as you know information has now been sent to Town and Parish Councils. Town and Parish Councils can Opt-out (subject to the details and process sent) if they or their community feel strongly about what’s proposed but they must but in place an equivalent alternative arrangement and deal with the related comms and complaints. The service is working to implement the cabinet instruction and cabinet have considered public feeling before issuing this.
2. What impact will the use of glyphosate have on Cornwall Council’s duty under the Environment Act 2021 to conserve and enhance biodiversity. In 2025 I was advised Cornwall Council’s Pollinator Action Plan restricted the use of pesticides, particularly where they are glyphosate based.
   The use of chemicals is limited to hard surfaces the adopted highway only, and I want to reassure you that, as outlined in the FAQ, only the targeted weeds will be treated, and this will be done using a heavily diluted solution of glyphosate. The product will be applied using Controlled Droplet Application (CDA), which is designed to place the treatment directly onto the weeds. This method is not a spray in the traditional sense and produces larger, heavier droplets specifically intended to minimise drift and prevent the chemical from becoming airborne or affecting unintended areas. The Council’s policies have been reviewed at a senior level and we are content the intended usage does not contradict what is said in them.
3. The Parish Council is likely to receive a lot of questions about the weedkiller run off. Have the environment agency been consulted?
   As above the weedkiller will be sparingly used and we will not undertake treatment when it is wet or windy, the majority of chemical will be absorbed by the weeds. The intention is to setup a ‘Let’s Talk’ page on the Councils website where repeated questions are answered. We are not required to consult the environment agency, as per the FAQ the treatment will be in accordance with UK guidance and requirements.
4. Due to the proximity of Millbrook Lake, Millbrook Parish would require higher levels of manual and targeted weed removal. I note your email states manual and targeted weed removal will be one per cap. Is that limited to one treatment for one selected area in South East Cornwall Area Partnership? Could you expand on this please?
   For year 1 yes that is correct 1 area per CAP. In years 2 and 3 it may be we can expand this programme.
5. Once the areas have been sprayed how will the debris be collected? Because the weeds have been in situ for over a decade, subsoil has been created (see images below). What are Cornwall Council’s plans for removal of the subsoil. Will there be an increase in street cleansing?
   As the response to question 2 we are not spraying any of the chemical. Were we are undertaking the treatment we have linked in with Biffa via the waste contract to collect the detritus a number of weeks after the treatment when it has died off.
6. Chapel Way, Southdown Road and Mill Road appeared no to be shown as included on the map. Is there a reason for this? (I am not aware of these areas being under private ownership).
   I presume these routes were maintained by another authority in 2013, as explained in the documents sent the intention is to update the maps for the 2nd treatment
7. Is there likely to be an increase in the maintenance of public rights of ways in our parish?
   Not as part of this initiative. The Environment service are however looking at this separately : Rights of Way Improvement Plan | Let’s Talk Cornwall
8. Has Cornwall Council’s policy changed regarding the management of urban verges? We created a website post showing some information provided by Cornwall Highways in June 2023 – https://millbrook-pc.gov.uk/cornwall-highways-grass-cutting-update/  Millbrook Parish Council has been working Cormac (contacted name redacted).  Last near Cormac scarified the grass verges around the lakeside and Millbrook’s community volunteers sowed wildflower seeds.https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/parks-leisure-and-culture/parks-and-open-spaces/making-space-for-nature/
   What is the programme for grass cutting of the road verges in Millbrook. Will Cormac be completing a ‘hay’ cut.
   This question will be relayed to Cormac (Landscape) as it is not related to this initiative

 

If you could let me know the outcome of your meeting that is due to be held on 21st April by the 22nd or 23rd, that would be much appreciated.

 

Millbrook Parish Council also highlighted short notification for this initiative and the improvement of water quality, as evidence by the siting of beavers. 

Email received from Cormac (Landscaping East) 8th April 2026

Currently there is no plan to change how Cormac manage the roadside verges and we will continue to work with the parish council to promote the wildflowers in the verges as in previous years.