CLOSING bowling greens, reducing grass cutting and introducing a mobile parks maintenance team would save the council £370,000, it has been revealed.
Proposals to "rationalise" the grounds maintenance service were announced yesterday as part of £1 million cuts from the parks budget.
Bowling greens and croquet lawns at Laceby, Healing, People's Park and Greenlands, New Waltham, are at risk of closure.
NELC hopes facilities can be transferred to parish councils and other interested parties, but if none come forward, they will close to "protect other services".
Discussions took place with some bowling clubs last year, as reported, and these will continue.
A statement from the council read: "A decision to not remove greens at Sussex and Barretts recreation grounds and Haverstoe Park has been taken as they form part of a move towards the development of hubs for sports development."
Meanwhile, the daily locking and unlocking of some parks and open spaces is "no longer sustainable", according to the authority. It has stopped immediately at: Duke of York Gardens; Bradley Woods; St Christopher's (Jubilee Playing field); Cleethorpes Country Park; Cleethorpes' King George (Taylor's Avenue); Roval Drive, Immingham; and Mount Pleasant, Waltham.
"We may need to resolve issues around by-laws and covenants at Haverstoe, Sussex and Sidney parks but the intention is to stop this practice as soon as possible," NELC's statement read.
"We plan to put in measures to restrict access, such as knee rails and drop-down bollards.
"To maintain these areas in the future, a mobile team will be set up to visit parks daily to carry out routine maintenance."
The majority of grassed areas will continue to be cut as normal but NELC intends to reduce or remove this service at some sites, for example in Laceby Road and Weelsby Road.
"We will also be creating wildflower areas or woodlands in areas such as Westward Ho open space, Bradley Hollow and Sunningdale/Turnberry Approach, Waltham," said the statement.
"We are looking to reduce the frequency of cuts in some areas, such as Peaks Parkway and A46 Bradley Cross Roads to Morrison's.
"Historically, shrubs, hedge and roses bed maintenance has been maintained to a high specification. With careful planning, we intend to continue reducing or remove this operation around the borough, such as Morrison's Roundabout, Love Lane Island and Toll Bar Roundabout.
"We will use alternative methods, such as creating wild flower areas or community woodlands, or return areas back to grass.
"Work will continue to convert some of our more formal flower displays into low-maintenance sustainable planting areas."
The number of tubs and hanging baskets around the borough will also be reduced.
As reported, the council must make savings of £58 million up to 2015-16.
