Mowing service for pensioners to be extended
Date published: 12 April 2017
Pensioners will continue to benefit from council’s lawn mowing program with the Community and Cultural Development Committee today supporting a recommendation to extend the service for a further two years.
The current three-year contract with St John’s Community Care to provide a lawn mowing service via a voucher system to eligible customers, was due to end on June 30.
The committee today supported the program until June 2019.
Community and Cultural Development Committee chair Cr Colleen Doyle said the program supported pensioners who wished to remain in their homes but were unable to maintain their gardens.
“We currently have about 400 users of the mowing service with about 20-30 eligible people on the waiting list,” Cr Doyle said.
“We reviewed the effectiveness of the program and to determine the potential effects on the customers should the program cease, and it was determined the need in the community was too great.
“By ending this service, it would adversely impact on an already disadvantaged sector of the community, both financially and socially.
“Townsville’s mowing program is one of the most generous in the State and we’ve had very positive feedback from customers.”
There are currently nine approved contractors that provide basic maintenance of lawns and the trimming of footpaths, driveways, gutters and under fence lines, plus the removal of grass clippings. St John’s Community Care administers the program on behalf of council.
Customers must meet strict eligibility criteria.
The cost to council to run the program is $120,000 per year, with 100% of this funding received by the customers by way of vouchers which are redeemed once the requested service has been delivered.
Today’s decision will go before full council on April 26 for final approval.
