Use of herbicides in 2024 - Find a freedom of information request

I am writing to enquire about the Council's use of herbicides in 2024. I would be very grateful if you could please respond to my questions below:
 
1. Does the Council, or contractors acting on behalf of the Council, use herbicides in the following areas:

a)    Parks and green spaces YES/NO
b)    Cemeteries YES/NO
c)    Playing fields YES/NO
d)    Road verges and roundabouts YES/NO
e)    Hard surfaces such as pavements and highways YES/NO
f)    Housing estates YES/NO
 
2. What volume of herbicides did the Council, or contractors acting on behalf of the Council, use from 1st January to 31st December 2024? Please answer in litres or kilograms.
 
3. Does the council, or contractors acting on behalf of the Council, use glyphosate-based herbicides? YES/NO
 
4. How much money did the Council spend on costs associated to buying and using herbicides from 1st January to 31st December 2024? Please include all costs, including but not limited to; the purchase of pesticide products, application equipment and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), staff training and costs associated to outsourcing to contractors.
 
5. How many complaints did the Council receive about weeds from 1st January to 31st December 2024?
 
6.  

  
a) Does the Council have a policy in place aimed at reducing or ending the use of herbicides on land under its control? YES/NO

b) If YES, please provide a link to the policy or provide a hard copy if not available online.

1.

a. Lincolnshire County Council (LCC) is not responsible for this, as it’s a District Council function.

b. Lincolnshire County Council (LCC) is not responsible for this, as it’s a District Council function.

c. Lincolnshire County Council (LCC) is not responsible for this, as it’s a District Council function.

d. Yes.

e. Yes.

f. Yes.

2. This service is not carried out by LCC directly and is undertaken by sub-contractors working on behalf of our main contractor for Highway Services, Balfour Beatty Living Places. The information requested is not held.

3. Yes.

4. This expenditure is managed by our term contractor, Balfour Beatty Living Places as part of our contract for these services. We expect these specific costs are managed by the contractor and they procure and source their products for the best value for money. This is information which the contractor considers is commercially sensitive, therefore is not disclosed.

5. We do not capture complaints in relation to weeds with the use of herbicides in parks and green spaces, cemeteries, playing fields, road verges and roundabouts, hard surfaces such as pavements and highways and housing estates.

6.

a. No

b. Not applicable.