A candidate in an upcoming by-election has slammed the council over concerns that weeds are growing out of control and posing a danger to residents.

Bella Sankey, Labour candidate for this week’s council by-election in Wish ward, said that elderly and disabled residents are fearful of walking along streets in the city due to overgrowing weeds dislodging paving stones.

While Ms Sankey praised the decision to stop spraying weeds with toxic pesticides, she said that the council had not come up with an alternative plan to keep the growth of weeds under control.

She said: “Large weeds are causing a danger to residents in part of the city.

“Since Brighton and Hove City Council stopped spraying toxic weed killers, wild vegetation has been growing around trees and dislodging paving stones.

“The council quite rightly stopped spraying weeds with poisonous chemicals, but no real alternative way to keep the weeds under control was introduced.”

In a letter to the council chief executive, Geoff Raw, Ms Sankey said: “I have met many elderly people, disabled people and those reliant on walking aids who are now fearful of walking in the streets where they live.

“They are scared that the weeds, which have grown so large, will cause them to fall.

“This is a real worry for a lot of residents, especially at this time of year when pavement conditions are already affected by winter weather.”

The council decided to stop using harmful pesticides or herbicides in 2019, but councillors have reported complaints from residents about weeds covering pavements and potentially causing a hazard for pedestrians.

Earlier this year, the council announced plans to prepare a report with options for alternative methods of weed removal, that are “both cost-effective and environmentally friendly”.

Brighton and Hove City Council was approached for comment.

Voters in Wish ward will elect a new councillor on December 8. Five candidates are running in the election; Patricia Mountain (UKIP), Peter Revell (Conservative), Bella Sankey (Labour), Stewart Stone (Liberal Democrats), and Ollie Sykes (Green Party).