Grass cutting arrangements for 2023
Dear Croydon Borough Council,
1. Can you please set out how grass cutting will be prioritised in the period 1 April 2023 to 30 November 2023 between different council responsibilities, for example, council housing estates, green spaces, parks and verges etc.
2. Please produce the document showing when each grass "location" can expect its first cut.
3. How many cuts of grass can each location expect in the period 1 April 2023 to 30 November 2023?
4. How many permanent staff and seasonal staff (please distinguish) will be employed on grass cutting in the period 1 April 2023 to 30 November 2023?
5. Has the grass cutting been contracted out: If yes to whom?
6. Have areas of grass in Addindgton, Shirley and Thornton Heath been cut in the period 1 April 2023 to the date you reply to this request. If yes, please identify the locations and state how these areas fit into the prioritisation of grass cutting schedule requested at 1. above.
Yours faithfully,
Graham Mitchell
Information Team Croydon
Digital Services
Assistant Chief Executive Directorate
Bernard Wetherill House
7th Floor, Zone B
Croydon
CR0 1EA
Contact: Information Team
[Croydon Borough Council request email]
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DEAR Graham Mitchell
Freedom of information request - FOI/7364
Subject: Grass cutting arrangements for 2023
Your request is being considered and you will receive a response within
the statutory timescale of 20 working days, subject to the application of
any exemptions. Where consideration is being given to exemptions the 20
working day timescale may be extended to a period considered reasonable
depending on the nature and circumstances of your request. In such cases
you will be notified and, where possible, a revised time-scale will be
indicated. In all cases we shall attempt to deal with your request at the
earliest opportunity.
If we are unable to provide you with the information requested we will
notify you of this together with the reason(s) why, and details of how you
may appeal.
Please note that the directorate team may contact you for further
information where we believe that the request is not significantly clear
for us to respond fully.
Kind Regard
Information Management Team
Croydon Digital Services
Assistant Chief Executive Directorate
7th Floor, Zone B
Bernard Weatherill House
8 Mint Walk
Croydon CR0 1EA
Information Team Croydon
Digital Services
Assistant Chief Executive Directorate
Bernard Wetherill House
7th Floor, Zone B
Croydon
CR0 1EA
Contact: Information Team
[Croydon Borough Council request email]
Dear Mr Graham Mitchell
Request FOI/7364
Further to your request received on 13/04/2023, I confirm that the Council
has now considered your request under the Freedom of Information Act
2000. For ease of reference, I will now address each of your questions in
turn.
1. Can you please set out how grass cutting will be prioritised in the
period 1 April 2023 to 30 November 2023 between different council
responsibilities, for example, council housing estates, green spaces,
parks and verges etc.
10 teams operate across all wards in the borough all sites Highways/
Housing and Parks work on 4-6 week schedule.
2. Please produce the document showing when each grass "location" can
expect its first cut.
Not currently available; document in progress.
3. How many cuts of grass can each location expect in the period 1 April
2023 to 30 November 2023?
7-9 cuts within that period weather dependent.
4. How many permanent staff and seasonal staff (please distinguish) will
be employed on grass cutting in the period 1 April 2023 to 30 November
2023?
24 Fulltime staff 15 Seasonal staff
5. Has the grass cutting been contracted out: If yes to whom?
No the service is maintained in house
6. Have areas of grass in Addindgton, Shirley and Thornton Heath been cut
in the period 1 April 2023 to the date you reply to this request. If yes,
please identify the locations and state how these areas fit into the
prioritisation of grass cutting schedule requested at 1. above.
There is no prioritisation of sites for general maintenance. New
Addington North and South / Thornton Heath and Shirley is currently being
maintained.
The Council publishes Access to Information requests and responses on its
online Disclosure Log. (Any request included within this log will be
anonymised appropriately)
To view the Council’s Disclosure Log, please visit our website available
here:
[1]The Freedom of Information (FOI) Act | Croydon Council
(disclosure-log.co.uk)
If you are dissatisfied with the way the Council has handled your request
under the Freedom of Information Act, you may ask for an internal review.
This should be submitted to us within 40 working days of this response.
You can do this by outlining the details of your complaint by:
Email: [2][Croydon Borough Council request email]
Writing: Information Team
London Borough of Croydon
Bernard Weatherill House
Floor 7 - Zone B
8 Mint Walk
Croydon, CR0 1EA
Any requests received after the 40 working day time limit will be
considered only at the discretion of the council.
If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have
the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a
decision. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:
Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire, SK9 5AF
Yours sincerely,
Information Team
Croydon Digital Services
Assistant Chief Executive Directorate
Bernard Wetherill House,
Mint Walk,
Croydon,
CR0 1EA
[3][Croydon Borough Council request email]
[4][email address]
References
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2. mailto:[croydon%20borough%20council%20request%20email]
3. mailto:[croydon%20borough%20council%20request%20email]
4. mailto:[email%20address]
Dear Croydon Borough Council,
Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.
I am writing to request an internal review of Croydon Borough Council's handling of my FOI request 'Grass cutting arrangements for 2023'.
My complaint is that you have not answered the questions I have asked.
In 1. I asked you to set out how the grass cutting would be prioritised between different council responsibilities. You haven't set out the prioritisation between Council housing estates, green spaces, parks and verges etc. What is the order of priority?
2. There must be a document showing the first cut for each location. How else are you able to allocate the crews to work?. Please provide the provisional document showing how you are allocating crews.
6. Please provide details of the location of the grass in Addington, Shirley and Thornton Heath which has been cut since 1 April 2023 to today's date. Please state whether each location is council housing estate, green space, or park and verge.
I expect a full reply to these questions within 7 Working days and I would appreciate it if you would answer the questions diligently.
Regards
A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/g...
Yours faithfully,
Graham Mitchell
Good afternoon,
To confirm, you have requested an internal review, which carry a 20 working day deadline but will endeavour to respond ASAP in any event.
Kind regards,
Information Team
Croydon Digital Services
Assistant Chief Executive Directorate
Bernard Wetherill House,
Mint Walk,
Croydon,
CR0 1EA
[Croydon Borough Council request email]
[email address]
Dear Mr Mitchell,
Further to your email dated 19 April, 2023, in which you requested an
Internal Review of the Council’s response to your request for information,
I have now concluded this review and I am able to reply as follows.
In your request for Internal Review, you asked the Council to reconsider
your request as you believed that you had not been provided with the
information requested.
In your request for information dated 13 April 2023, you requested the
following information:
“1. Can you please set out how grass cutting will be prioritised in the
period 1 April 2023 to 30 November 2023 between different council
responsibilities, for example, council housing estates, green spaces,
parks and verges etc.
2. Please produce the document showing when each grass "location" can
expect its first cut.
3. How many cuts of grass can each location expect in the period 1 April
2023 to 30 November 2023
4. How many permanent staff and seasonal staff (please distinguish) will
be employed on grass cutting in the period 1 April 2023 to 30 November
2023
5. Has the grass cutting been contracted out: If yes to whom
6. Have areas of grass in Addington, Shirley and Thornton Heath been cut
in the period 1 April 2023 to the date you reply to this request. If yes,
please identify the locations and state how these areas fit into the
prioritisation of grass cutting schedule requested at 1. above.”
The Council responded to you on the 19 April 2023 and provided the
following response:
“1. Can you please set out how grass cutting will be prioritised in the
period 1 April 2023 to 30 November 2023 between different council
responsibilities, for example, council housing estates, green spaces,
parks and verges etc.
10 teams operate across all wards in the borough all sites Highways/
Housing and Parks work on 4-6 week schedule.
2. Please produce the document showing when each grass "location" can
expect its first cut.
Not currently available; document in progress.
3. How many cuts of grass can each location expect in the period 1 April
2023 to 30 November 2023
7-9 cuts within that period weather dependent.
4. How many permanent staff and seasonal staff (please distinguish) will
be employed on grass cutting in the period 1 April 2023 to 30 November
2023
24 Fulltime staff 15 Seasonal staff
5. Has the grass cutting been contracted out: If yes to whom
No the service is maintained in house
6. Have areas of grass in Addington, Shirley and Thornton Heath been cut
in the period 1 April 2023 to the date you reply to this request. If yes,
please identify the locations and state how these areas fit into the
prioritisation of grass cutting schedule requested at 1. above.
There is no prioritisation of sites for general maintenance. New Addington
North and South / Thornton Heath and Shirley is currently being
maintained.”
In your request for an Internal Review dated 19 April 2023, you stated the
following:
“In 1. I asked you to set out how the grass cutting would be prioritised
between different council responsibilities. You haven't set out the
prioritisation between Council housing estates, green spaces, parks and
verges etc. What is the order of priority?
2. There must be a document showing the first cut for each location. How
else are you able to allocate the crews to work?. Please provide the
provisional document showing how you are allocating crews.
6. Please provide details of the location of the grass in Addington,
Shirley and Thornton Heath which has been cut since 1 April 2023 to
today's date. Please state whether each location is council housing
estate, green space, or park and verge.”
On receiving your request for an Internal Review, I contacted the Head of
Environment Services & Sustainable Neighbourhoods, who has provided
additional information in answer to the issues raised in your Internal
Review.
Please find attached a copy of the ‘Round Sheets’ that the Maintenance
Teams are expect to follow. This indicates scheduled or completed cuts.
A Grounds Maintenance Schedule is published on the [1]Council’s website.
This highlights when Grounds Maintenance perform either Grass cutting or
Horticultural works over the course of the year. I have been informed
that there is no order of priority; sites are listed in order of route
best taken to complete selected wards.
If you are not content with the outcome of the Internal Review, you have
the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a
decision. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:
Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire SK9 5AF
Yours sincerely,
Howard Passman
020 8726 6000 ext. 27103
Resources Directorate
Legal Services Division
7th Floor Zone C
Bernard Weatherill House
8 Mint Walk
Croydon CR0 1EA
Council services, online, 24/7 www.croydon.gov.uk/myaccount.
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References
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