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Traded services

Grounds maintenance

1. What is the purpose of this document?
   1. The purpose of this document is to:
      1. describe the services that Calderdale Community Services Parks and Streetscene offer to schools;
      2. provide information about the service providers and how the key personnel can be contacted;
      3. explain, in outline, the main terms of the service;
      4. give details of the services to be provided;
      5. identify levels of service provision;
      6. describe service provider obligations and commitments;
      7. establish customer commitments;
      8. describe quality assurance systems and procedures for redress if things go wrong.
   2. The purpose of this specification is to ensure that both provider and user are clear about the services to be offered and the ways the service will be delivered. This will help regulate the dealings between the user and the provider by setting out respective obligations relating to performance and payment for the services.
2. Who are the service providers?
   1. The service provider is Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council, Community Services, Parks and Streetscene.
   2. This service is available to all local authority maintained schools within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale.
   3. If you have any questions about this service or would like further information please contact:
      • Name
      • Pam Smithies, Systems and Information Officer
      • Address
      • Community Services: Parks and Streetscene
        Wesley Court
        Halifax, HX1 1UJ
      • E-mail
      • pam.smithies@calderdale.gov.uk
      • Telephone
      • 01422 393210
      • Fax
      • 01422 393276
3. Service Standards
   1. All core and traded services have agreed to the following principles to ensure that the customer receives a consistently high level of service. This service will:
      1. set standards;
      2. be open and provide full information;
      3. consult and involve;
      4. encourage access and the promotion of choice;
      5. treat all fairly;
      6. put things right when they go wrong;
      7. use resources effectively;
      8. innovate and improve;
      9. work with other providers;
      10. provide user satisfaction.
   2. The following paragraphs explain our service standards and what we are doing to improve them.
      1. Quality awards
         The service has achieved the quality standard EN ISO 9001:2000 and the Investors in People standard.
      2. Education expertise
         Our four area managers have a combined total of 127 years experience working with the schools' Grounds Maintenance service and our two technical officers a total of 60 years experience.
      3. Qualified staff and Investors in People
         All staff have an annual performance appraisal where any learning and development needs are established and carried forward to the Service Training Plan.
      4. Secure identification
         All staff carry identity cards and badges.
      5. Courtesy
         You can expect us to be courteous and helpful at all times. When you write to us, telephone us, or visit our offices, the person you are in contact with will tell you his or her name and, where appropriate, telephone number.
      6. Properly equipped
         All vehicles and machinery comply with health and safety regulations and are serviced and used according to the manufacturer's recommendations.
      7. Meets all statutory requirementsWe ensure that we meet all the requirements relating to the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrence Regulations 1985 and Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1985 and take account of all relevant guidance issued by the Health and Safety executive. All pesticide usage is carried out in strict adherence to the Pesticide Regulations 1986 of the Food and Environmental Protection Act 1985.
      8. Fully insured
         The service has public liability insurance.
4. Performance
   1. The following section shows our level of performance, how we have improved over time and how we compare with our metropolitan neighbours.
   2. We are members of the Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE) Performance Networks grounds maintenance group. Performance Indicators are produced from data submitted by over 100 local authorities. The data is also used to put similar authorities together in family groups for comparison and process benchmarking. Our performance in two relevant indicators for 2005/06 was:

      Indicator	Cost per Household (including CEC)	Quality Assurance and Consultation Process
      Highest in family group	£124.26	127
      Average of family group	£63.27	62.05
      Lowest in family group	£30.63	10
      Calderdale	£55.49	106

   3. The percentage of residents satisfied with the local authorities parks and open spaces. National Best Value user satisfaction survey results 2006/07:
      • Calderdale: 77%
      • National Average: 72%
      • Metropolitan Boroughs: 68%
5. How long will a contract for this service last?
   1. The agreement will be reviewed on an annual basis. The current agreement will run from 1 April 2008 to 31 March 2009.
6. How can the contract for this service be changed?
   1. Any variations to the service required due to changes in the type or quantity of grounds maintenance within the school site, that is building works, increased car parking, will be agreed in writing between the school and the service provider.
7. What services will be provided?
   1. A comprehensive grounds maintenance service in line with the Service Specification and Schedule of Rates.
   2. A range of other professional services to assist with the changing grounds maintenance needs of clients. These other services are available at additional cost and are over and above those agreed for the core maintenance programme and include:
      • horticultural advice with regard to the hard and soft landscape of the school grounds;
      • one off horticultural maintenance works which are outside the remit of the Service Specification;
      • tree felling and pruning;
      • sports pitch renovation and improvements.
8. How will the service be provided?
   1. The services are provided by qualified and experienced staff. The service provider will ensure that the qualifications, expertise and training of staff are consistent with the work being undertaken.
   2. Some elements of the service are essentially reactive and the response time will depend in part on the level of demand at the time and the complexity of the requirement.
   3. Community Services will ensure that school queries can be referred to and dealt with by the right person speedily and effectively.
   4. Officers will visit schools to discuss amendments to the service or the need for extra works where these are required, on request from the school. Community Services will ensure that the qualifications and expertise of the staff providing support to schools are commensurate with the work being undertaken.
   5. Community Services will ensure absolute confidentiality in its relationships and dealings with schools.
   6. Where a school wishes to add items of work to the contract then this will be required in writing and the addition will take effect from the start of the next routine cycle of maintenance after receipt of the letter for the additional tasks in question.
9. What do the suppliers expect of me as a customer?
   1. To ensure continuation of the service the agreement must be signed and returned to the service provider by 28 February 2009 to ensure that the service can be delivered.
   2. Sound planning by both the client and the service provider will be required to ensure that clients are able to use the service effectively. Agreement of the timing of some elements of the service delivery, particularly where the need for an element of the service cannot be predicted in advance, will therefore be required to avoid delays.
   3. The agreement is for the service provider to carry out those tasks contained within the Schedule of Rates for the period of twelve months, and it is anticipated that the client will require those tasks to be performed in line with the specification. Should the client wish to amend or alter the number or frequency of those tasks required this will be discussed at the request of the client, though the client needs to be aware that significant changes in the contract may result in part or all of the contract being withdrawn.
   4. Day to day monitoring of the school site is undertaken by the school, though Parks and Streetscene Technical Officers will assist in monitoring the activities of the service provider on request from the client.
   5. It will greatly assist in the provision of the service if each school can identify where the service provider can sign in to the school and who the nominated contact point is for that school. Schools should ensure that their contact staff has the authority to sign work tickets and delivery notes on completion of each task performed, as part of the agreed service.
      If no school staff are available to sign work tickets, for example during school holidays, then the unsigned tickets will be posted through the door. If this is not acceptable to schools then we would ask them to contact us to make other arrangements.
   6. Should any part of the agreed service be required on a different timescale than that within the profile then a minimum of five working days written notice will be required to enable arrangements to be made with the service provider to vary the service.
   7. If without prior warning the service provider is turned away without carrying out that week's specified tasks due to a decision by the client that a part of the service is not required, and no prior warning was given, then the cost of that task plus a handling charge of £20 will be charged to the client to cover costs incurred.
10. How can I be sure of a high quality service?
    1. All works carried out by the service provider are covered by the Quality Standard EN ISO 9001:2000 and its procedures and guidelines.
    2. No work will be carried out until the school has been made aware of the service provider's presence by signing in at the relevant point in the school.
    3. Specific criteria relating to particular services are included in the appendices. Where circumstances relating to a particular situation are exceptional the service provider will agree with the client a date by which the matter will be dealt with.
    4. As part of the additional services supplied Community Services Technical Officers will, when requested, assist the school in monitoring the activities of the service provider on behalf of the client.
    5. Responses to urgent requests, where feasible, will be made within one working day. It will be the responsibility of the school, in making the initial contact with the service provider to explain the degree of urgency.
    6. Non-urgent requests will be dealt with as agreed with the school.
    7. The client will be asked by the service provider to complete a questionnaire on an annual basis outlining the level of satisfaction with the performance of the service.
    8. In addition to the Corporate service standards, as part of the provision of a high quality service, Community Services, Recreation have adopted the following Customer Care Charter:
       • The customer will receive a prompt response to a request for a meeting, commensurate with the nature and urgency of the request.
       • Community Services staff will comply with all security and internal policies or procedures whilst on the customer's premises.
       • The customer will receive effective and professional advice at all times.
       • The customer will be kept fully informed of the progress of works arranged on their behalf by Community Services Officers.
       • The customer will receive a good standard of workmanship in respect of works arranged on their behalf.
       • The customer will receive fair and reasonable treatment in relation to any disputes, which may arise from the provision of service, in line with the complaint procedures set out in the Service Level Agreement.
11. Who do I contact if things go wrong?
    1. Any concerns or complaints about the level or quality of service should firstly be made to:
       • Name
       • Elsie Berry, Administrative Officer
       • Address
       • Community Services, Parks and Streetscene
         Wesley Court
         Halifax HX1 1UJ
       • E-mail
       • elsie.berry@calderdale.gov.uk
       • Telephone
       • 01422 393215
       • Fax
       • 01422 393276
       For other issues, please contact:
       • Name
       • Martyn Summerscales, Assistant Parks Manager
       • Address
       • Community Services, Parks and Streetscene
         Wesley Court
         Halifax HX1 1UJ
       • E-mail
       • martyn.summerscales@calderdale.gov.uk
       • Telephone
       • 01422 393207
    2. If the issue is not resolved you should contact:
       • Name
       • Brendan Mowforth, Head of Recreation, Sport and Streetscene
       • Address
       • Community Services
         Wesley Court
         Halifax HX1 1UJ
       • E-mail
       • brendan.mowforth@calderdale.gov.uk
       • Telephone
       • 01422 393201
       • Fax
       • 01422 393276
    3. If the issue cannot be resolved, you may wish to invoke the Council's Complaints procedure .
12. What is the basis of the service price and what will the service cost?
    1. The cost for the provision of the service is taken from the Schedule of Rates contained in the Grounds Maintenance Contract for the area within which the school is located. Unless the level of provision has been amended by the school this will be the value for the previous year's work plus contract inflation. Maintenance pricing information will be supplied to each school in January of each year.
    2. The Schedule of Rates is broken down into individual tasks. The period in which that task will be delivered is itemised as part of a Task Profile included within the grounds maintenance pricing information.
    3. Where extra items of work are required these will be individually estimated by the service provider and the quote agreed between the service provider and the client prior to work commencing where these are for individual one off works specific to that school.
    4. Each school will receive a Schedule of Rates and a Task Profile which details the tasks which are carried out at their school and their prices. As a guide a typical primary school with 1.34ha of grounds will cost £2,887 per annum and a typical secondary school with 8.66ha will cost £25,117 per annum.
13. How will I be charged?
    1. The charging year is concurrent with the financial year.
    2. The client will be charged for actual work carried out in each calendar month.
    3. There are twelve charging periods in each financial year and charges will be processed within five weeks of the end of each period.
    4. Work will be regarded as accepted and therefore chargeable unless the school informs the service provider of any element of incomplete or inadequate maintenance within two days of the initial completion of the task.
    5. Any amendments to charges will be incorporated in the successive charging period, or as soon as possible within the time constraints.
    6. Ad-hoc work will be invoiced on completion of the work to the satisfaction of the client. Clients should pay invoices within 28 days of the date of the invoice, or raise queries with the service provider immediately.

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