Oldham Grounds Maintenance Public and Urban Greenspace

You may not realise that we provide parks that have been judged to be amongst the best in the country, we contribute to the North West being the region with the highest number of Greenflag awards.

We aim to provide and promote the creation and use of quality Parks, Public Greenspaces and Play Areas. These sites enrich the lives of local people, people who visit and work in the borough.

We believe that the people of Oldham have a right to be able to access sites that are safe, accessible, sustainable and offer a diversity of activities and Interest for all ages. They may also meet the needs of groups and individuals that are often excluded from public facilities, including the elderly and people with disabilities.

We recognise that it is essential that our grounds maintenance operations at all levels are delivered to the highest possible standards. This is implemented by our staff as professionals in a caring and thoughtful manner, who take pride in the end result.

In its drive for Value for money services the Government is very clear in what it expects from Local Authorities in terms of service delivery; that is ‘A HIGH STANDARD OF SERVICE TO THE COUNCIL TAXPAYER’.

In grounds maintenance terms the emphasis is on each person, each team in each area to ensure that all the Boroughs greenspace look clean, tidy & well maintained. Therefore we have established standards of maintenance that are expected,desired & deserved by the people who live, work and visit the borough.

PARKS AND OPEN SPACES

The role and importance of Parks and Open Spaces to peoples every day lives is becoming increasingly important especially within Urban Areas, this has been recognised by central Government. The maintenance of Parks, Open Spaces and Formal Gardens has to be to the highest standard. These areas have to be safe, clean and well maintained as they are places where children play and people go to relax. Ensuring that they are safe, clean and tidy also contributes to the councils Key Aims and promotes a positive image of the borough.
The Borough has been extremely successful in securing the national standard for of its Parks and Open Spaces The GREEN FLAG AWARD. The Green Flag is only awarded to Parks And Open Spaces that are deemed by external judges to meet the criteria namely SAFE, ATTRACTIVE, WELL MAINTAINED, WELL MANAGED AND INVOLVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITY.

VANDALISM

It is essential that all incidences of vandalism in public open space are dealt with as a priority. Public open spaces have to be safe for visitors. Vandalism detracts from people’s enjoyment and puts people off using the open space for recreation and relaxation. It is unfortunate that a lot of time, effort and energy has to be put into dealing with the vandalism in our greenspace, but it has to be dealt with by a continued effort.

HEDGE MAINTENANCE

Hedges are an integral part of the landscape in Oldham. They can be categorised into differing types such as roadside boundaries, backdrops in Ornamental Formal Gardens or Field Hedges forming boundaries to land the Council owns.

Whatever the category, the Hedges are maintained to a HIGH STANDARD - cut level, and seasonal growth and litter removed.

FLORAL DISPLAYS

It is through Floral Displays on Roundabouts, in Parks and in other high profile areas that grounds maintenance make a significant contribution to the image of the Borough, for those who live, work and visit. Floral displays once symbolised ‘Civic Pride’ - they were a means of showing off to visitors and neighbours the Horticultural skills within the authority. In recent years they have declined throughout Britain, but Floral displays still do exist in Oldham. We feel it is important that they are managed and maintained to the highest possible standards.

GRASS CUTTING OPERATIONS

Litter is removed prior to grass cutting starting. All obstacles are strimmed. A variety of ride-on-mover operatives, hand mowers and site based gardeners make up the grass cutting teams throughout Oldham. All grass cutters are aware of the importance of leaving grass areas looking clean and tidy.

HERBICIDE APPLICATION

Appropriately qualified personnel undertake Herbicide application, taking every care to ensure that the herbicide used is the correct one for the treatment undertaken. All staff who apply Herbicide wear appropriate PROTECTIVE CLOTHING and are aware and cautious where the public are in the vicinity of the area to be treated.

SHRUB BED MAINTENANCE

Shrub Beds give depth and structure to the landscape and as such they are an attractive feature. It is essential that they are well maintained to ensure their future sustainability. All pruning and thinning whether in a large plantation of woodland type planting or in a formal bed is carried out to recognised and appropriate horticulture standards and techniques with the appropriate tools. All cuttings are chipped and fired back into the shrub bed.

SPORTS PITCHES, BOWLING GREENS

As these are areas that are heavily used by the public, these facilities come under very close scrutiny! We recognise that it is imperative that the highest possible standards are achieved on these areas. Every effort is taken to ensure that when using vehicles on these areas that the playing surface is not damaged. If damage is unavoidable then it is reported to the appropriate neighbourhood area manager and reinstated as soon as possible.
Recognised sports turf maintenance techniques are followed for Playing Surfaces, and practices with goal mouth and centre circles receive works to the highest standards.
By the correct reinstatement and treatment of playing pitches, we ensure their future sustainability and that they are safe to play.
All Bowling greens receive the recommended treatments and follow the best practises for green maintenance. The backboards are treated, repaired or replaced as required.

TREE AND WOODLAND MAINTENANCE

Trees and woodlands are an important asset and the environmental benefits are great, as is the responsibility for management and the consequences of neglect. All operatives involved in works involving trees are aware that the pruning and felling of trees can be a sensitive issue to members of the public, but wherever works are undertaken to trees on land owned by the council good aboricultural practices are followed. All current health and safety regulations are adhered to. Pruning shall not be detrimental to the general health, shape and character of the tree concerned. The Council’s Tree Officer offers detailed advice when required.

POND MAINTENANCE

Ponds and other water features can be an attractive feature on open spaces and in Parks. They do however tend to attract litter and debris. It is an important task therfore to keep all water bodies clean and tidy.

FENCES, GATES, PATHS, WALLS, SIGNAGE AND OUTDOOR FURNITURE

Grounds Maintenance has the responsibility for maintaining and keeping in order Fences, Gates Paths, Walls, Signage and Outdoor furniture including benches and bins on all Parks and Open Spaces.

NATURE CONSERVATION/ HABITAT MANAGEMENT

Wildlife areas such as Ponds, Ditches, Wetlands, Hedges, Meadows and other valuable wildlife areas all need a degree of sensitive management. This usually involves less intensive but more specific maintenance approaches than recognised formal areas. This is vital to maintain the particular habitat value. This can involve different grass cutting regimes to allow Wild Flowers to complete their flowering cycle, ditch maintenance at the appropriate time to allow/encourage amphibians to breed, hedge cutting to avoid disturbance to nesting birds. Management often is on a two year cycle as not all plants and animals have a one year life cycle.

It is very important that these habitats are kept looking clean, tidy and well managed to make it evident that they are being managed and cared for in a particular way.