Grass Cutting of Highway Verges, Recreation Areas, Mill Field and Town Cemetery 2026-2029

This lot covers grass cutting and vegetation management within the Nine Acres Recreation Ground, including the playground and surrounding headland areas, but excluding the football pitches (which are maintained separately by Charlbury Football Club).

The work includes:

Fortnightly mowing of the playground grass between April and September.

Annual cutting and management of the headlands and biodiversity areas, in accordance with the specification.

Sensitive management of tussocky and wildflower grassland areas to maintain habitat for pollinators, invertebrates, and small mammals.

Strimming around obstacles such as posts, fences, and play equipment supports with particular care to avoid damage.

Maintenance of access routes and shrub edges as described in the specification (headlands).

Biodiversity is a key consideration for this site. The contractor must carry out works in a manner that minimises disturbance to wildlife, avoids cutting areas used by butterflies and nesting birds during the breeding season, and protects the range of wildflowers established across the site.

Work must be undertaken using professional equipment and in a manner that ensures public safety, avoids noise disruption, and upholds environmental best practice. All cuttings must be removed or spread evenly where appropriate.

The contractor must comply with all health and safety, environmental, and insurance requirements set out in the tender documents.

This lot covers the grass cutting and associated maintenance of other Council-managed areas in Charlbury, excluding Nine Acres Recreation Ground.

The areas include:

Highway verges, recreation areas, and the Town Cemetery.

Mill Field and outlying benches.

Ticknell Piece Playground and the Green.

Areas previously managed by Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) and now maintained by Charlbury Town Council, as listed in the specification.

Work includes regular mowing, strimming, and vegetation control throughout the season (typically March-October), with particular attention to biodiversity and the protection of wildflower areas.

Contractors must recognise the ecological value of each site and adapt cutting regimes to support species diversity and pollinator habitats.

Specific requirements include:

Avoiding cuts during key flowering periods for native species where indicated.

Retaining uncut buffer zones and margins to support wildlife corridors.

Ensuring that arisings are removed or composted appropriately to prevent nutrient enrichment.

Taking care when strimming around fence posts, gate posts, benches, and other fixtures to avoid damage.

All work must be carried out in accordance with the specification, ensuring safe working practices, respect for wildlife, and maintenance of clear sight lines on verges and public paths.