Information Governance Team ● The Parkhouse Building ● Kingmoor Business Park ● Carlisle ● Cumbria ● CA6 4SJ
T: 01228 221234 ● E: xxxxxxxxxxx.xxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxx.xxx.xx
PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL John Al en
9 August 2021
Dear John Al en
Environmental Information Regulations 2004, Reference: FOI-9800-2021 The council has completed its search relating to your request about weed control received on Wed, 14 Jul
2021.
Request I would be grateful if you could provide me with the fol owing information:
1. What method do you use for weed control?
2. Do you use Chemicals?
3. If you use chemicals is the council looking to using a more environmental y friendly method?
4. Does the council carry out weed control duties in-house or is this contracted out?
5. (If contracted out) who is the contractor responsible for street cleansing duties?
6. Contact details for the person(s) responsible for managing weed control within the council
Response The council does hold information within the definition of your request.
1. Weed spraying activities are undertaken by a sequence of activities, agreed with the contractors involved.
The sequence of activity required by the Council is summarised as:
Prior to taking any vehicle, the driver shal complete a ‘Vehicle Daily Check’ form and ensure that any defects
are reported.
The driver shal ensure that there is enough fuel and oil in the vehicle to last the duration of the shift and the
return journey to the yard.
The Supervisor briefs the team leader on the work to be done and the traffic management arrangements.
Traffic management arrangements are set up or the team move into an existing safe system of work, provide
by the Council.
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Once the work site is set up and secure and al traffic management is in place; warning signs indicating work
operations must be placed at both ends of the area of work before works can commence.
The team leader shal complete a site-specific risk assessment - identifying the hazards, assessing the risk,
and specifying control measures to be applied on site. The team are briefed on site with both the specific
method statement and the risk assessment.
Al work is to be carried out by ful y trained and competent operatives. If an operative is being trained, then
they can use a piece of equipment prior to being assessed in the use of the equipment so long as they are
ful y supervised in a pre-arranged training situation.
Safety documentation wil identify the weed or other problem to be control ed, the appropriate chemical to be
used, the correct dose rate, the correct water quantity to be used and any additive (oil); the correct spray
nozzle to be used, the need for any buffer zone and associated local environment risk assessment for
pesticides (LEARP); and any other technical issues.
An operator who holds an appropriate NPTC certificate of competence wil have calibrated al application
equipment used. The nozzle type selected wil consider the volume of application, product label
recommendations, specific area to be treated and weather on the day of application.
Before commencing work the operators wil check that light levels are acceptable and that the weather and
ground conditions are suitable, other people are not going to be put at risk and that due regard has been
taken for wildlife.
Al equipment wil be inspected to ensure it is in safe operating condition, including the checking of any safety
cut-out or emergency stop system fitted to the machine.
Before starting the application, the operator wil check that the weather is suitable, and members of the public
are not going to be put at risk; that due regard has been taken of nearby watercourses, drains, other
environmental factors, and neighbouring properties.
In the event of weather or other conditions changing in such a way as to make the continued treatment
inadvisable, work wil be suspended, and the Council informed of this. Treatment wil begin again once
conditions are suitable.
Having determined how much chemical mix is required, the operator wil normal y fil the tank with half the
required quantity of water, introduce the correct amount of chemical and add the remaining quantity of water.
Agitation of this mixture wil then take place for a suitable period prior to application.
During application, the operators wil maintain a constant forward speed as established during calibration.
Each bout or swath wil be made of even width and with paral el passes. Where appropriate, a marking
process wil be used to prevent the missing or overlapping of swaths, the sprayer wil be switched on and off
smartly on starting and stopping to maintain accurate application.
The operator wil take ful responsibility for the removal of al unused pesticide and its return to a BASIS
registered store or suitable locked container. Empty containers wil be rinsed and together with other
packaging, col ected by a registered waste disposal contractor or taken to an approved site for recycling
wherever possible. The operator wil also ensure that any warning signs are removed or where necessary,
al owed to remain in place for a suitable period.
The operator wil complete the record of work covered as soon as the work has been completed.
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Al quantities of chemical used wil be recorded, together with details of the weather and any other relevant
information.
2. Al contractors must be a BASIS qualified pesticide advisor able to give recommendation and chemical
advice to the council.
The weed kil er is ‘Round up pro bioactive’ and ‘Rosate 360TF’ mixed with vegetable oil at a ratio of 3:1 to
prevent wind blown droplets.
The treatment is dependent upon the contract award location within Cumbria.
3. The council has explored other options including boiling water, steam, acid and burning of weeds. Initial
trials were found not to be effective and did nothing prevent regrowth of weeds within three weeks of
treatment.
4. Al activities relating to weed control, within Cumbria is contracted out.
5. Clark Davidson Contractors.
Empire Ground care
Please note: These contractors are responsible for weed spraying treatments only.
6. The management of weed control is not managed by one central person but the lead ‘Local Area Highways
Network Manager’ who manages the budget al ocation and management of activities, within their own district.
This is delegated within the Highways teams.
Please note: Cumbria County Council only spray within the highway boundary, other areas outside the
adopted highway wil be done by the Borough Council or Town Councils.
Disclaimer Most of the information that we provide in response to requests submitted under the Freedom of Information
Act 2000 and Environmental Information Regulations 2004 wil be subject to copyright protection. In most
cases the copyright wil be owned by Cumbria County Council. However the copyright in other information
may be owned by another person or organisation, as indicated on the information itself.
You are free to use any information supplied in this response for your own non-commercial research or private
study purposes. The information may also be used for any other purpose al owed by a limitation or exception
in copyright law, such as news reporting. However, any other type of re-use, for example by publishing the
information in analogue or digital form, including on the internet, wil require the permission of the copyright
owner. Where the copyright owner is the council you wil need to make an application under the Re-use of
Public Sector Information Regulations 2005.
For information where the copyright is owned by another person or organisation you must apply to the owner
to obtain their permission.
If you are dissatisfied with the way the council has responded to your request you can request an Internal
Review. If you would like to request a Review please contact the Information Governance Team using the
details at the top of this letter.
If you have any issues relating to this letter you should attempt to resolve them, in the first instance, with the
council, by requesting an Internal Review. If you would like to request a Review please contact the
Information Governance Team using the details at the top of this letter.
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Further information can be found on the council’s website: http://www.cumbria.gov.uk/council-
democracy/accesstoinformation/internalreviewscomplaints.asp
Yours sincerely
Information Governance Team
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