There have been many concerned comments about the appearance of the grass in some areas of the town this year.
The impact of COVID-19 has set an unprecedented challenge to our work programmes. Some of this can be seen on the growth of hedges and shrubs that HTS were unable to cut during previous lockdowns because of government restrictions and the need to ensure infection levels did not get out of control. The impact of these being the challenge to employ early seasonal workers and to resource seasonal work is being felt to this date. The impact of the government’s furlough scheme, whilst ensuring jobs are retained, does make the employment of new staff a real challenge. HTS are actively working hard to catch up and continue to make every endeavour to fill the gap in resources.
This challenge has been in tandem with a spring and summer that, to date, has seen a regular mix of both warm and wet weather – great for grass growth but hard to keep up with. This situation is not just the case in Harlow and is echoed throughout councils across the nation.
The situation is actively being addressed however. Every effort is being made to fill the gap in resource with different options being progressed. HTS have diverted resources to key focus areas, advertised for new permanent staff and are also looking at different models of delivery. As they bring on additional resources, they are increasing rounds for strimming and spraying to improve the appearance of the grass around obstacles, knee rails and benches, etc. HTS and Harlow Council continue to have a focus on reviewing key priorities for the way in which this area of work activity is undertaken to ensure efficient delivery.
We and HTS are also taking the opportunity to look at ways in which we can diversify the mosaic of grass cutting to benefit pollinators and other wildlife. It is a fantastic opportunity to challenge work methods to allow for creative and biodiverse solutions to a very complex set of variables.
We and HTS are also looking at increasing the management of long areas of grass but with an appreciation for the need to maintain managed strips to create visually appealing zones with a wide set of benefits. Recovery of services post-COVID remains a challenge and it is accepted that the visual impact of our green environment is not at our usual standards. We along with HTS will continue to work hard to recover this position in the coming weeks.
Councillor Alastair Gunn, Portfolio Holder for Environment said:
“I recently held a very positive meeting with HTS to review the current work activity and we identified many common goals and aspirations. There have been challenging conditions to work through but there is a shared desire to deliver a high quality service to Harlow residents.”