PRINCES Risborough Town Council has agreed in principle to take on grass cutting from the county council.

At last night's monthly town meeting councillors heard from cabinet member for transportation for Bucks County Council, Ruth Vigor-Hedderly.

The county council is offering devolved services to parishes and towns in the county, following a disastrous year of complaints about grass cutting.

They reduced grass cuts from ten to six and were also delayed, which left overgrown verges and unhappy residents.

Chairman of PRTC, Alan Turner, said: "The county council has got to go down this route for various reasons across the county. We are looking at all the options."

Cllr Vigor-Hedderly said: "You said, 'We have to go down this route.'

"I don't want any parish council or town council to think you have to do this, because you don't.

"This is an opportunity we are giving to parish and town councils across Bucks to empower and embrace them to work in a collaborative and effective manner.

"A lot of work has been done with the localities team. Lots of questions have been asked."

She said the county will support councils through it, but it is not compulsory.

Cllr Turner said if they want to maintain a reasonable service it is something they have to do because the county are cutting back.

Councillors agreed to the proposal in principle and now a working group will look at how the details and how it will be implemented.

Cllr Vigor-Hedderly added it cannot bring any costs to the county's budget and parishes and towns must conform to the county's way of working.

She said: "The county council still has a duty of care and statuary obligations that it has to fulfil anyway."