Derbyshire residents have criticized their local council for a “rewilding” program which they say has only brought rats, ticks and dog poo.

Erewash Borough Council promised their rewilding project would “create colorful meadows encouraging rare native plant species” and boost local wildlife, but locals complained that all that seems to have happened is a reduction in grass cutting.

Some who live next to the “messy” areas have even taken it upon themselves to cut the long grass themselves.

Ahead of a council meeting Thursday, a host of angry residents submitted questions and comments to voice their disapproval before a motion to change the lawn mowing schedule was approved.

A Mr Snowdon expressed his “disappointment” at “an increase in anti-social behaviour” since a park’s grass has been left to grow longer – which he says has been used as a place to leave dog poo and litter with laughing gas canisters.

He added: “I’ve also seen high-speed electric motorbikes racing around and hiding in the park, all of which add up to a ‘broken window’ effect that makes me think twice about letting my kids play in the park.

“We should be encouraging kids to play outside and have a healthy mental and physical lifestyle, and this policy prevents that.”

Another local, Bramley, noted the increased risk of ticks that comes with longer grass and appealed to the council to at least fence off the new “meadow areas”.

The Labor council’s rewilding plan, called ‘Wild About Erewash’ was launched in March and involved less frequent mowing of various sites, but clarified areas such as sports fields would remain as they were and paths would be cut around parks to ensure public right of way. .

But some locals took matters into their own hands when they got “fed up” with the “messy” areas.

Moira Barclay shared a video of two neighbors mowing one of the remow areas, writing: ‘I don’t think the council realize how it is now having a detrimental effect on people’s mental health when it looks so messy everywhere.

“There’s a lot more dog mess and litter because it looks so messy everywhere. That’s enough.

A message of support read: ‘Shame on the council.’

Erewash Borough Council makes it clear that “edges under EBC remit will not be monitored if residents decide to cut the grass themselves”.

Conservative councilor Paul Maginnis also shared his personal struggles with the long grass.

He explained that he runs football sessions in the area and although the pitches have been maintained, the long grass has led to the costly loss of 10 footballs in a few months.

“We spend almost as much time trying to find the balls as we do playing the game,” he revealed.

Mr Maginnis added that Erewash Council’s reserves have increased over the past year and “pleaded” with the incumbent Labor councilors to use this money to cut the grass.

Citizens councilors Wayne Major and Steve Bilbie called on the council to overturn its recent lawn mowing changes in a motion passed after an August 1 amendment.

The Green Party’s municipal councilor Ann Mills has also expressed her disapproval of the so-called rewilding measures.

She said: “Rewilding is more than just not cutting the grass, but for many Breaston residents this is the only evidence of rewilding they can see.”

Ms Mills was one of those who found the purpose to recreate a valid one, but criticized the delivery of this policy, asking “what lessons have we learned and what improvements in communication and implementation can we expect to see in the future?”

But Erewash’s newly elected Labor MP, Adam Thompson, has hit back, saying it will take a couple of years to regenerate.