Newquay councillors to challenge plans to reintroduce glyphosate spraying

Newquay town councillors have voted to write to Cornwall Council over plans to reintroduce glyphosate weed spraying across the county.

Members of the authority’s Environment and Facilities Committee agreed on Thursday to send what was described as a “stiff letter” to County Hall, with the final wording yet to be decided.

The move follows a letter sent to the town council on 30 March, informing it that glyphosate would be reintroduced in Newquay and across Cornwall.

The correspondence from Cornwall Council said the decision followed “declining standards” since routine weed management stopped in 2013, which it said had led to increased complaints, narrowing footways, damaged surfaces and a perceived drop in community pride.

It added that the default position is for all Cornwall Council-maintained areas to be opted in, with a diluted glyphosate mix used on adopted highways in urban areas.

Town and parish councils have been given the option to opt out by Monday, with a further opportunity to opt in later, but members of the town committee criticised the short timescale to consider the proposals.

Newquay mayor and Cornwall councillor Drew Creek made an impassioned plea against the use of the chemical during the meeting.

He said he had tabled a motion at Cornwall Council’s full council meeting next week, calling for a pause to allow more time for consideration.

Councillor Creek also said he had spoken to other town councils across Cornwall who shared similar concerns, and suggested working together to explore alternative weed management methods.

He told the committee that while glyphosate breaks down relatively quickly on dry land, studies suggest it can persist for much longer in marine environments.

“All it takes is for rain to fall and wash it into oceans and I won’t make any apologies for it, but I do not want my children splashing around in poison,” he said.

Cornwall Council said its proposal would not amount to a return to widespread spraying.

It said a diluted glyphosate mix – approved for use on public highways – would be applied using controlled droplet application, and only in urban areas where weeds are present.

The authority said it would not treat areas that are weed-free or those already managed under existing contracts, and that overall use of glyphosate would be significantly lower than levels seen before 2013.

The council stopped general highway weed treatment in 2013 as a cost-saving measure, and by 2016 had ended the use of glyphosate on most public-access land it manages, except in limited circumstances such as controlling invasive species.

Town and parish councils can opt out of the programme, but only if they can demonstrate they can maintain standards at least equivalent to those proposed by Cornwall Council.

Funding would be offered at a rate of £343.45 per kilometre, although councils would need to cover any additional costs, such as increased manual clearance.

Meanwhile, Redruth Town Council is calling on councils across Cornwall to back a petition opposing the plans.

The petition urges Cornwall Council to either adopt non-glyphosate methods in line with its climate commitments, delay the decision deadline to the end of May, increase funding for alternative approaches, or revisit the cabinet decision entirely.

Radio Newquay has asked Cornwall Council for a response.