Constant rainfall of almost biblical proportions hampered grass-cutting across Housing Executive estates.
But lessons will be learned with plans to get the ball rolling earlier next year.
The latter assurance came from Southern Regional Manager John McCartan in response to SDLP Councillor Thomas O’Hanlon, who said residents had been left feeling “disgruntled and frustrated”.
He was speaking after a Northern Ireland Housing Executive delegation presented an update report on activity across the borough to September’s monthly meeting of ABC Council.
Councillor O’Hanlon – while accepting there were issues “a lot closer to home” around council’s own “quality of grassing cutting – enquired if there had been a turnover in grounds maintenance staff or different contractors employed.
He said he had raised concerns on “numerous occasions” around a ‘grass-banked’ area of Keady.
“I’d be grateful maybe if there was an opportunity to speak to someone again in the team, because as we end this grass cutting season, it’s nearly about halfway through the next grass cutting season before people start to get on top of things in the new year, but it’s definitely something I think that needs to be addressed,” said Councillor O’Hanlon.
“For example, if you go into some areas and grass isn’t cut until later in the year, then the next thing, because grass isn’t gathered, areas become messy and residents become disgruntled and frustrated, and it’s something that they’re constantly raising.”
Mr McCartan said, in terms of grounds maintenance, it had been an “unusual growing season” at the start of the year and one which “contractors had difficulties with”.
He added: “We had about 60 days of rain on a daily basis. It meant they couldn’t bring their heavy machinery onto the big green open areas without churning it up, so that caused difficulties. At the same time, there was a growth period.”
Looking forward, he said they would be speaking to contractors to make it clear that next year that “we want them to be mobilised earlier”.
“We want them to make sure that they have their teams in place,” added Mr McCartan, “and even though this is seasonal work that we expect them to have the preparation in place as well, for when the growing season starts, not as the growing season has already started. They need to have all that preparation work in place.”
Reflecting on problems this year but looking ahead, the manager said: “There was extenuating circumstances, but I would also assure that our grounds contractors are extremely well managed; we hold monthly meetings with them. We go out, we examine the green areas, we hold them to certain standards. Low service damages are applied.
“The escalation procedures are put in place as well, where and when they fail that. This year it did take them a while. We were probably into the middle/late spring before they finally got on top of it. We will try and ensure that that doesn’t happen next year.”
Most read today
PUBLIC NOTICE
