GM0944 - Taking Weed Control Back In-House - 091222
A member authority currently has an external contract but are exploring taking it in house.
They are keen to know:
GM0943 - Emergency Tree Recovery of Costs - 251122
A member authority is Increasingly attending call outs to clear private trees that have failed during high winds and are blocking the highway. They endeavour to recover the costs from the tree owner but this is often not a straight forward process.
They would be interested to hear:
Any information would be greatly received.
Responses will be shared amongst all who reply.
GM0942 - Bonfire and firework display - 251122
A member authority is interested to know about bonfire firework displays.
In particular they wish to know:
Could you please indicate in your response whether you would be willing to be contacted directly to provide further information on this topic .
GM0941 - Marking out sports pitches - 101122
A member authority currently uses a Bowcom Trike that is coming to the end of its natural life and they need to replace this piece of equipment. Therefore, they would be interested in looking at the way other authorities are currently marking out their sports pitches, in particular:
Any assistance you could provide on this matter would be greatly appreciated.
GM0940 - Digital solutions for managing routine and ad hoc grounds maintenance works
This local authority is currently considering the use of a digital solution for their Grounds Maintenance services and would like to know if any other Councils are:
GM0939 - Advertising in Parks – 041122
A member authority would be interested to hear from other Local Authorities regards advertising concessions in parks.
GM0938 - Events in Parks - 041122
A member authority is interested to receive comments on the following:
GM0937 - Events charging policy - 011122
A member authority is currently reviewing its events charging policy and would be grateful if other local authorities could share any information in relation to the following areas:
GM0936 - Prohibiting the use of radio-controlled craft or apparatus in parks – 011122
A local authority is considering adding a few new rules to their park management rules, one is prohibiting the use of radio-controlled craft or apparatus in parks. This would effectively ban drones, radio-controlled helicopters/planes/cars as well as boats on water.
They are interested to hear what other member authority positions/rules are on radio-controlled craft/apparatus in parks.
GM0935a - Dedicated dog parks - 251022
A member authority is enquiring whether any Councils have investigated creating dog parks (e.g. where you can book and pay for a private space for 1 hour).
They would like to know:
GM0935 - Open space grass cutting machinery.
A local authority is looking to renew some of its open space grass cutting machinery and is keen to hear from other member authorities in terms of the types of machinery (e.g walk behind / pedestrian mowers) they are currently using? They would also like to know if any have changed anything as a result of the recent significant price increase for purchase/lease of some of these machines?
GM0934 - Introducing a chargeable green/garden waste collection - 201022
A member authority is currently looking into introducing charges for their green/garden waste collections.
They are looking for any business cases or reports that members may have when you implemented this.
They are also particularly interested in any information around the costs to introduce the service and any impact on recycling rates.
GM0933 - Charges for directly managed allotments - 181022
A member authority is looking for information from other Local Authorities as to what they charge for their directly managed allotment plots.
In particular they would like to know the following:
Do these prices include water?
If not how is water charged for?
What, if anything else does the charge include? i.e. rubbish removal, skips etc.
GM0932 - Bowling Greens and pitch costs - 181022
"A member authority is currently reviewing their charging structure for bowling green fees and pitch costs and would be interested to know what other local authorities charge.
Any information would be gratefully received.
GM0931 - Open water swimming in designated nature areas - 290922
A member is seeking information on what other member Authorities have done in terms of actions to deter open water swimming in nature areas.
They are interested in the broad spectrum of actions ranging from education to site hardening and beyond.
GM0930 - External vending machines in parks - 290922
A member authority is interested to know whether any local authorities use external vending machines in their parks and open space sites and if so, what vendors do they use?’
GM0929 - Countryside Service - 280922
A member authority is reviewing its Countryside service and seeking to find out the following information:
GM0929 - Countryside Service - 280922
A member authority is reviewing its Countryside service and seeking to find out the following information:
How many kilometres is your PROW network, and how many officers do you have managing that?
GM0928 - Improving golf course quality through soil importation - 160922
A member authority are looking at this as a way to seek investment in the golf courses.
They are currently considering utilising a soil importation scheme on their golf courses to improve quality.
They are therefore interested to know if any other authority has adopted a similar approach and if so what specifications did they use?
GM0927 - Risk of grass fires – 160822
A member authority would like to know if any other members have taken action or are considering action to reduce the risk of wild fire in grassland areas.
The authority has received a number of contacts from concerned residents, in light of recent fires in the South East, and would like to understand how great the risk is.
If action is required, they would like to understand what options they may have.
Like a number of areas, they have increased biodiversity in recent years by allowing a higher proportion of grassed areas in parks and green spaces to be left for nature and only cut at the end of growing season and therefore, the enquiring authority is particularly interested in risks and mitigations relating to longer grassed areas.
GM0926 - Preventing scrambler bikes in parks - 160822
A member authority is interested to know what they have done to try to stop the potential for, and current occurrences of scrambler bikes on park lands.
They have K Barriers fitted in some parks that do deter Scrambler bikes but just recently a member of the public has contacted saying they can't get through with a double buggy and they also restrict the larger mobility scooters.
They would therefore like to know:
GM0924 - Recording of accidents/ incidents in playparks
A member authority is keen to understand if other local authorities record accidents / incidents in playparks? In particular they would like to know: -
GM0923 - Developing commercial activities in local authority parks and open spaces – 190722
A member authority is looking into income generation on their parks and open spaces and are looking for information on the types of commercial activities other local authorities permit on sites (i.e., ice cream concessions / food units etc).
They would therefore like to know:
With regards to events put on by third party event providers on local authority owned land:-
Do any network members have guidance on further opportunities for commercial activities on their land that they would be willing to share?
GM0922 - Risk assessments for cutting grass on highway roundabouts and associated traffic management - 180722
A member authority has been asked by their Safety Services section to look at the methods they use for cutting grass on highway roundabouts and in particular if any traffic management is required.
They have a risk assessments for use of mowers and cutting slopes and other areas but not specifically for cutting roundabouts.
They are therefore interested in how other authorities approach the cutting of roundabouts and any specific risk assessments they use and if they use traffic management.
GM0921 - Mobile apps/IT for work management of trees - 140722
A member authority is interested to hear from any local authorities that are using mobile Apps/ IT for the tree inspections and work management (issuing work programmes, budget monitoring) to internal / external contractors.
They are particularly interested to know:
GM0919 - Lighting along Parks Pathways – 240622
A member authority is seeking information to help to help inform a new Council Parks investment programme.
The Parks Services is starting a limited programme to introduce lighting along park paths to improve public safety, this is in response to recent serious incidents which have taken place in parks at night both in both in the member council as well as elsewhere in the UK.
To assist in targeting this investment Council Officers would like to know if other authorities have recently invested in new or upgraded park lighting for similar reasons, in particular:
GM0918 - Use of Beach Rakes - 220822
A member authority has submitted a network enquiry regarding the deployment of beach rakes in coastal authorities, as they are currently in the process of procuring one and would like to know how other coastal authorities manage the following issues:
GM0917 - Illegal boat moorings – 010822
A member authority is enquiring as to how other local authorities with responsibility for boat moorings on their waterways/ banksides deal with illegal boat moorings.
They are particularly interested in the following:
GM0916 - Boating lake risk assessments and monitoring of water quality – 010822
A member authority is enquiring whether any local authorities would be willing to share any risk assessments and any examples of testing regimes which are undertaken with reference to the monitoring of the water quality to ensure the safety of lake users when boating.
GM0915 - Local authority parks management structures - 160622
A member authority is looking for information about other local authorities organisational structures for the management of parks.
They would particularly like to know:
GM0914 - Arboriculture pay rates – 160622
A member authority would like to enquire about other Local Authorities pay rates and associated levels relating to Arboriculture staff.
They are particularly interested in the following areas:
GM0913 - Collecting and disposing of roadside grass verge cuttings – 140722
In order to increase the biodiversity value of roadside verges a member authority has reduced the number of grass cuts per year and now intend to start collecting grass cuttings to reduce soil fertility and further increase the biodiversity value of roadside verges.
They would be interested to know if any other authority have any experience of collecting grass cuttings from roadside verges and subsequent storage and disposal of the cuttings which are classified as contaminated waste.
GM0912 - Rats from council owned greenspaces entering nearby domestic gardens – 080622
A member authority is interested in the approaches other authorities take with regards to the issue of Rats coming from Council owned green spaces into domestic gardens?
The y would particularly like to know whether any authorities have specific policies to deal with this problem and if they willing to share them.
If no policies exist, what approaches do other councils take in relation to this matter?
GM0911 - Dealing with weeds and grass around tree bases - 080622
A member authority is looking at ways in which other local authorities are assessing the pros cons of spraying / strimming around trees and whether spraying is the most cost effective approach.
They are currently using glyphosate around tree bases to remove weeds but are interested in whether any other local authorities are taking a different approach.
They would be interested to know if other authorities have carried out a financial cost exercise to determine whether they spray or strim, or use an alternative method to clear weeds/grass from around tree bases, or indeed whether environmental considerations have caused them to use an alternative option to spraying or strimming.
GM0909 - Community management of woodlands and greenspaces – 220722
A member authority is interested to know whether any other local authorities allow community groups to manage their woodlands or other green spaces?
If so, how do you support them and manage their activities?
GM0908 - Providing a weekend grounds maintenance service – 020622
A member authority would be keen to hear if other Councils provide a weekend Grounds Maintenance service as part of their working week?
If so, what are the pros and cons of doing this?
Could you also confirm the working patterns that accommodate weekend working?
GM0907 - Managing badger setts in cemeteries - 160522
A member authority has an old Victorian cemetery which has a long-standing badger issue.
They have an active badger set which they have been managing for several years with help from an ecologist to try to minimise the damage to the headstones in the vicinity of the set. Recently they have seen that the badgers have become more active, and we now have another quite significant amount of spoil accumulating on the surface from their tunnelling. More headstones are starting to become unstable as the ground beneath them shifts and drops and they have had complaints from families who have relatives buried in that area.
They have in the past undertaken work under license from Natural England to clear the spoil, added planting to support the stability of the ground and have fenced off the area to prevent visitors walking on the unstable ground whilst ensuring that entry and exit points remain for the badgers.
They would like to know the following:-
GM0906 - Reducing the use of glyphosate on hard surfaces - 130522
A member authority is interested to know whether any local authorities have completely stopped the use of glyphosate on hard surfaces i.e. streets. If so, what methods have they employed regarding weed growth?
For information, the enquiring authority have achieved a 47% reduction in the use of glyphosate from 2015 to 2021.
GM0905 - Delivery of weed spraying services - 130522
A member authority is currently drafting specifications to go out to tender for their Grounds Maintenance Contracts. One of the lots to be detailed in this is weed spraying/removal of weeds.
They would therefore be interested to know from other local authorities the following information:
GM0904 - Scattering of ashes in formal parks – 120522
A member authority has received a number of enquiries from members of the public about whether they are allowed of scatter ashes in Formal Parks.
They are therefore enquiring if any other authorities have received similar enquiries and if so, did they allow this to occur and under what restrictions.
GM0903 - Maintenance of SUDS on new developments - 120522
A member authority’s Street scene service has been in recent consultation with their Planning Department re: SUDS Maintenance on new developments.
They are therefore enquiring whether any other authorities have taken on the maintenance of these facilities and if so what sort of costs were they incurring in carrying out the works?
GM0902 - Software platforms suppliers for grounds maintenance /street cleaning which allow mobile working of field operatives - 090522
A member Borough Council is trying to find out what cloud software platforms/suppliers other authorities are using for grounds maintenance activities which is enabling mobile working of field operatives.
For information their work streams include:
Their requirements include systems that can:
They would also be interested to find out what mobile hardware other authorities are using in these operations e.g. mobile phones, tablets, in-cab technology.
GM0901 - Wheelchair bowling on council bowling greens - 090522
A member authority has received an enquiry by a local group who have enquired as to whether or not, the member authority allows wheelchair bowling on their greens.
Do any other authority offer this service and if so how do they get around the potential damage that could be caused by wheelchairs to the bowling green surface for example by having artificial surfaces which allows wheelchair users to play bowls?
GM0899 - Sub-contracting regular health and safety inspections and condition surveys of play equipment - 200422
A member authority is conducting a review of its play services and has queries relating to the regular safety inspection and condition surveys of play equipment.
Currently quarterly safety inspections are carried out by an in-house team of two.
They are keen to hear from any members who sub-contracting their regular safety inspections, in
They would also like to commission an independent inspector to look at all their play sites and grade them in order of those needing major refurbishment/replacement.
Therefore, they would like to know if any member done this before and if so, which contractor was used and what criteria were used to grade each play site?
GM0896 - Parks customer surveys
A member authority is keen to know if colleagues carry out Customer Survey questionnaires within their Parks (including Country Parks).
Any examples of reports would be greatly appreciated.
GM0895 - Disposal of roadside verge grass cuttings classed as contaminated waste
In order to increase the biodiversity value of roadside verges a member authority has reduced the number of grass cuts per year and now intend to start collecting grass cuttings to reduce soil fertility and further increase the biodiversity value of roadside verges
Does anyone have any experience of collecting grass cuttings from roadside verges and subsequent storage and disposal of the cuttings which are classified as contaminated waste?
GM0894 - Water policies in lakes and parks
A member authority is developing a formal Water Safety Policy around it lochs and ponds within Parks – they would welcome sight of any existing policies and any particular actions that where introduced as a consequence of the policy
GM0892 - Risk assessments for cutting grass on highway roundabouts and associated traffic management
A member authority has been asked by their Safety Services section to look at the methods they use for cutting grass on highway roundabouts and in particular if any traffic management is required.
They have a risk assessments for use of mowers and cutting slopes and other areas but not specifically for cutting roundabouts.
They are therefore interested in how other authorities approach the cutting of roundabouts and any specific risk assessments they use and if they use traffic management.
Any information would be gratefully received.
GM0892 - Digital solutions for managing routine and ad hoc ground maintenance works
This local authority is currently considering the use of a digital solution for their grounds maintenance services and are keen to hear from other member authorities, in particular:-
GM0891 - Control and treatment of Japanese Knotweed near properties being mortgaged
A member authority has received requests over the past few years from mortgage companies who have asked for assurances that Japanese knotweed on council land within 7 metres of a house which is being mortgaged is being treated and controlled.
The enquiring authority have given this assurance by providing a 5 year treatment plan in a letter which to date, has always been good enough to satisfy the mortgage companies.
However they now have one bank asking for a ten year guarantee.
They would therefore be interested to know what other authorities provide and how they manage Japanese knotweed next to mortgaged properties and whether any other authority has been asked for longer than 5 year assurances in relation to treatment and control of Japanese Knotweed regarding properties being mortgaged.
GM0889 - Use of red diesel in ride on-mowers
A member authority is looking to see how other authorities are interpreting the change in Red Diesel legislation. Changes to rebated fuels entitlement from 1 April 2022 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
Having read through the government documentation they are still not certain whether ride on mowers used to undertake grass cutting on verges are permitted to use red diesel.
They would be interested to know how others have interpreted the legislation.
GM0887 - Charging for the use of public toilets in parks and greenspaces
A member authority is considering the undertaking and collating of market research and case study’s to help inform whether to charge for the use of public toilets in parks.
Before they begin they would like to know :
GM0884 - Tree works undertaken by residents/tenants
A member authority would like to know if any authorities allow your residents/tenants to commission or undertake tree works themselves, with the approval of the Local Authority. With the works being done to trees which or either owned or managed by the local authority.
If this is allowed by a Local Authority, what arrangements and conditions do you have in place and how is this managed?
GM0882 - Grounds Maintenance Service Review - 070222
APSE are undertaking a service review for a member local authority.
This review and all associated data will be handled sensitively and confidentially.
In order to assist this review APSE is asking if member authorities would be willing to share any financial rates (grass cutting, pruning, litter collection etc.) in relation to either in house or contracted services in order that APSE may provide a comprehensive comparison for this authority.
GM0881 - Software for monitoring grounds maintenance services - 070222
A member authority is interested to know from other members of APSE what software is being used to monitor grounds maintenance contracts.
The two main areas they are particularly interested in are the monitoring of work and the and financial costing of the service and importantly, that any software has to be able to link with an GIS based system.
Please provide any advantages or disadvantages you have found with the systems.
GM0880 – Ride-on mower usage – 310122
In light of the new Government changes to the use of red diesel from April 1st, a member authority would be interested to hear how other authorities are interpreting this in view of ride-on mower usage. Particularly where you have ride-on mower work where the mowers travel on the public highway to access the cutting of verges and open spaces.
GM0879 – Charges for commercial and not for profit events – 310122
A member authority would like to find out from other authorities if you charge for commercial and not for profit events being held on local authority land. Examples of events include outdoor cinemas, fun fairs, inflatable parks etc.
GM0878 - Tree inspections along A,B & C roads - 310122
A member authority undertakes a yearly highways inspection of all the councils A, B & C roads.
This work is carried out via a driving inspection with 2 quantified Arborist, one driving, one looking at the trees and identifying any hazards.
This is a very time consuming and resource-heavy approach to tree inspections, but as a unitary authority, they have a duty to inspect their highway trees and record any potential hazards to the highways.
They are therefore interested to know what other local authorities do in relation to meeting this requirement.
GM0877 - Establishing a parks champion - 100122
A member authority is currently looking at establishing a parks champion and would be interested to hear whether other authorities have adopted a similar approach, in particular:
GM0876 - Policies on handling disputes and notices to quit on allotment sites - 100122
A member authority is looking. for information on policies regarding handling disputes between allotment tenants and policies in place for handling appeals against notices to quit from allotment tenants.