The Parish Council wishes to engage the services of Contractors, or a Contractor, to cut beckside vegetation and grass verges in the village, by machine, or ‘strimmer’, or both, as appropriate.
Background
Within the boundaries of the village, in addition to the typical, relatively narrow grass verges alongside roads, pavements/footpaths and at the base of hedges, the main areas of grass needing mowing are:
– the Beckside Village Green area adjacent to the beck, and
– about 1 km of historical, broad grass verges.
Beckside:
As a result of the current village’s environmental and ecological initiative, starting with the 2021 season the Beckside greensward will be managed in accordance with the ‘mosaic’ mixture of styles as illustrated in the Appendix, with a 1m strip either side of the beck cut to a minimum height of 18” and a 2m mown strip either side of roads and paths.
Much of the Appendix’s ‘b’ and ‘d’, ‘to be mown’, areas is boggy, and suited only to ‘strimming’, rather than machine cutting.
Broad Grass Verges:
Only a road-flanking width of some 1.5 – 2m (‘a single breed’) of the Back Lane and Town Street broad verges is cut routinely through the season; from experience, the nature of this task and the uneven terrain of the verges suits a tractor-mounted flail.
The full width of the broad verges is to be mown only once, at the end of the season; it is anticipated that this final Cut will be carried out by a local resident.
The road safety sight-lines at the various road junctions within the village boundaries, and the visibility of the ford depth gauges need to be maintained throughout the season.
Invitation to Tender
Tenders are invited for ‘call-off’ contracts, based on tractor-mounted flail and ‘strimming’ equipment-plus-operator hourly rates for contractor non-exclusive involvement in the following indicative* Work Programmes:
(* ‘Indicative’ e.g. because the number of cuts may be subject to affordability)
Work Programme A – Tractor-Mounted Flail
Cut 1 – If needed, an initial, first of the season, cut, in say April of;
- The verge on the east side of Forkers Lane from the village sign to the Church Lane junction, and the full width of the verges on both sides of Church Lant to the New Road junction and the verges on both sides of New Road
- A single roadside breed of the broad verge on Back Lane from Orchard House to the school and the broad verges ofTown Street from the village hall to the village sign on Scarlet Balk Lane
- A 2m wide strip at the edge of Beckside roads
All the above cuts should avoid daffodils, wild flowers, and weeds which need to mature before being sprayed by others.
Cut 2 – As Cut 1, in say May – avoiding daffodils
Cut 3 – As Cut2, in say July
Cut 4 – As Cut 2, in say August
Cut 5 – As Cut 2, in say September/October, the last Cut of the season
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Work Programme B – Strimming (and possibly Mowing)
Cut 0 – Possible cuts of verge sight-lines in the spring at each of the 6 road junctions within the village boundaries and to preserve visibility of the ford depth gauges
Cut 1 – A further cut, in say April, at road junctions and at ford depth gauges and an initial, first of the season, cut of the ‘b’ Beckside areas in the attachment, a 2m cut at each side of Beckside paths, a cut of the grass verges on the north side of Chapel Road, and a cut of the Cock Garth play area. All cuts avoiding daffodils, wild flowers, and weeds which need to mature before being sprayed by others,
Cut 2 – In, say May, a cut at road junctions and at ford depth gauges and a cut of the ‘b’ Beckside areas in the Attachment, a 2m cut each side of Beckside paths,a cut of the grass verges on the north side of Chapel Road, and a cut of the Cock Garth play area. These cuts should avoid daffodils.
Cut 3 – As Cut 2, in say July
Cut 4 – As Cut 2, in say August
Cut 5 – As Cut 2, in say September/October AND an end of season cut of the ‘d’ Beckside areas in the Attachment
Cut 6 – If necessary, one pre-winter sight-lines cut at road junctions and ford depth gauges, and a 2m cut each side of Beckside paths
Plus Miscellaneous strimming as directed by the Parish Council representative, e.g. to complement Work Programme A, typically to strim around obstacles and other hard to reach areas
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The areas to be cut will be agreed before each Cut between the Contractor and a nominated Representative of the Council; the quantity of work to be undertaken will be subject to stringent budgetary constraints.
The Contractor may present an invoice after each Cut.
The Contractor will be required to effect and maintain Policies* of insurance in respect of any liability which may arise, and indemnify the Parish Council against all losses, claims, demands, proceedings, damages, costs, charges and expenses which may arise. (* £5m Public Liability & £10m Employer’s Liability)
Copies of the Policy documents and summaries of the terms of the Policies should be presented with the Tender, along with:
- Risk Assessments for each of the operations
- A list of the machinery that will used to execute the work
- An acknowledgement of the Parish Council’s environmental, ecological and wildlife standards (as presented in Settrington’s ‘Village Design Statement’ on the village website) and a statement of Contractor’s intent to comply accordingly
- A description of similar works previously undertaken, with references.
Tenderers who are not familiar with the village and the areas to be cut, will be expected to request a site visit hosted by a Parish Council representative.
Tenderers are invited to tender for either Work Programme A or Work Programme B, or both.
The Parish Council is not committed to accepting the lowest cost Tender, or to give de-briefing reasons for its choice of Contractor.
This Invitation to Tender shall form the basis for the eventual Contract.
The Parish Council may elect to retain the services of the contractor(s) for a second annual season at mutually acceptable rates.
TENDERS TO BE SUBMITTED IN WRITING TO THE CLERK OF THE PARISH COUNCIL
BY NOON ON 1 March 2021
In a sealed envelope, clearly marked GRASS CUTTING TENDER Attached: Mosaic map of Beckside greensward
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