Agenda item

7.1

The Committee received a report of the Interim Head of Housing Investment and Repairs which provided an update on progress on the implementation of the recommendations arising from the Challenge for Change Grass Cutting report.  The report was presented by Jayne Foulds, Manager, Estates and Environmental Services Team.  Also present for this item were Councillor Jayne Dunn, Cabinet Member for Environment, Recycling and Streetscene, David Hargate, Head of Parks and Public Realm, and tenant representatives, Mick Daniels and Tony Watson.

7.2

Members and the tenant representatives made various comments and asked a number of questions, to which responses were provided as follows:-

·                It was not necessary for the tenant inspectors to be technically qualified and an information booklet was available to provide guidance on what was an acceptable grass cutting standard. 

·                The rate of charge for grass cutting was based on the best endeavours to keep the grass at a certain height, it was not based on terrain or the type of machine used.

·                Operatives selected which grass cutting machine to use for a particular job, and endeavoured to use one machine for each piece of work, where possible, to maximise efficiency.  This could be looked at if it was causing problems.

·                The removal of grass clippings from the cut areas presented very significant operational and environmental challenges and was expensive.

·                Litter picking was arranged between the Parks and Public Realm Service and Housing Services, in advance of cutting.

·                As part of the North East pilot, Housing Estate staff had worked jointly alongside staff from the Parks Service to undertake improvement work on Housing land, such as small scale grass cutting, hedge cutting and managing shrubs.  The pilot had revealed that efficiencies were possible if service operational constraints could be overcome.  It had now finished, but it should be noted that some practices had continued across the boundaries between the Northern and North East areas of the City.  As a result of open service delivery, the grounds maintenance service aimed to achieve the same standard for all of the City as from April 2015.

·                The Parks Service held the information as to which Council service maintained which piece of grass and it had been the case that some Housing staff had worked as part of the Parks Team on grass cutting.  There was no one person in Housing who could be contacted to find out who maintained which piece of grass, but it was pointed out that Amey was responsible for the grass verges.

·                With effect from April 2015, responsibility for grass cutting would be with either the Parks Service or Amey.

·                Officers worked closely with the Amey Client Team in relation to grass cutting, with problems caused by their equipment being left on grassed areas being identified as an issue.  At present, flytipping was being prioritised but was being linked with grass cutting.  It was hoped to meet with representatives of Amey to discuss their regime.

·                The grassed areas on estates should, in future, be maintained to their present level as specified by the Service Level Agreement.

·                A work plan was in place so that the asset mapping system could be updated as information was reported in. 

·                The Council had data on who managed what piece of land, but it had not been possible to provide this in a paper format without the need to print large size maps that would be needed to provide the required level of detail.

·                The recycling of grass cuttings was undertaken as much as possible, but there were transportation issues if cuttings were to be collected.  This would be economical on a small scale, but charges would have to be made if all cuttings were collected.

·                The issue of litter picking prior to grass being cut would be addressed.

7.3

RESOLVED: That the Committee:

(a)       thanks Jayne Foulds, David Hargate, Mick Daniels and Tony Watson for their contribution to the meeting;

(b)       notes the contents of the report and responses to questions;             and

(c)        requests that:-

(i)        consideration be given to the provision of training for the Tenant Inspectors so it could be reassured that they were properly prepared for their duties; and

(ii)      Councillors Harry Harpham, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Homes and Neighbourhoods, and Isobel Bowler, Cabinet Member for Culture, Sport and Leisure, be asked to consider:-

(A)       the way in which the Service Level Agreement operates, particularly in relation to charges and value for money; and

(B)       the different specifications for grass cutting so that, where possible, some uniformity could be provided.