ODS in partnership with Oxford City Council wants Oxford to be an attractive enjoyable place for our residents to live and tourists to visit.
The Parks and Open Spaces service is responsible for green spaces within the city.
This includes:
- all parks, outdoor sports facilities, estate open spaces, highway verges, sheltered housing, garden schemes, playground maint enance , and countryside management
- cemetery management and maintenance
- tree surveying and maintenance works (including planting)
- litter picking
The cleaning of public conveniences and pavilions is undertaken by the Streetscene Service and details of this can be found on the Streetscene Service Standards
Parks
We will:
- cut the majority of grass on a monthly cycle between March and October (this excludes areas managed to increase biodiversity and sport)
- maintain park shrub beds once a year
- cut the majority of hedges once a year
Play Areas
We will:
- cut the majority of grass on a 10-working day cycle between March and October
- cut the majority of hedges once a year
- scheduled weed killing twice a year in the spring and summer
- undertake a monthly inspection of playgrounds and arrange an independent check by RoSPA on an annual basis
- RoSPA will also check other equipment such as goal posts
Recreation Grounds
We will:
- cut the majority of grass on a monthly cycle between March and October (this excludes areas managed to increase biodiversity and sport)
- prune and maintain shrub beds once a year (excluding areas managed to increase biodiversity)
- cut hedges once a year
- when play or sports facilities are out of action/undergoing repair we will provide information to explain what is happening and why, and the timetable for reopening.
Outdoor sports areas
We will:
- maintain sports turf to a standard suitable for amateur leagues and mark them to the rules of the individual sport
- administer outdoor sports bookings
- when play or sports facilities are out of action/undergoing repair we will provide information to explain what is happening and why, and the timetable for reopening
Countryside
We will:
- cut designated long grass locations twice a year (June and September)
- maintain countryside sites to provide a suitably maintained recreational areas for the public to enjoy, whilst ensuring that maintenance reflects best ecological practice. Some sites have statutory designation such as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) or Local Nature Reserve (LNR)
- cut hedges annually.
Trees
We will:
- manage the council's tree stock which includes tree maintenance and undertake inspections every three years
- manage a replacement tree programme on a rolling annual basis
Cemeteries
We will:
- cut the majority of grass on a 10-working day cycle between March and October
- cut the closed churchyards and cemeteries once a month between March and September
- cut designated long grass locations twice a year (June and September)
- maintain shrub beds monthly at St Giles' War Memorial
- provide an effective burial service , in an efficient and timely manner, which includes both coffin burials as well as ashes interments, whilst respecting the religious and cultural needs of the family. Furthermore, we will undertake regular grounds maintenance across our cemeteries and closed churchyards
- provide a short-notice burial service
- ensure that all memorials in these locations will be subjected to safety inspections on a five-year basis and, where necessary, memorials will be made safe by either supporting with a stake or laying down within the grave space
Highway Verges, Estates and Car Parks
We will:
- hard prune shrubs in the winter months
- scheduled weed killing twice a year in spring and summer
- maintain shrubs and hedges in council-owned car parks, including park and ride sites, once a year
- cut hedges once a year
- cut highway grass once a year and council housing areas twice a month (excluding areas managed to increase biodiversity)
Garden Scheme
We will:
- visit all properties on the scheme on a monthly basis between March to October
- conduct larger garden clearances during the winter months, where required .
What you can expect of us
We will:
- adjust our maintenance programmes or service if standards are not being met
- make random and regular inspections between scheduled visits
- undertake enforcement of litt erers, dog fouling owners and fly-tippers
- provide a prompt and efficient service
- listen to our customers
- offer a 24-hour out-of-hours emergency telephone service (07711 439090)
Further information on the full Parks Specification can be viewed on our Parks and Open Spaces pages.
You can help us achieve our Service Standards by:
- reporting any safety or maintenance issue to us by reporting it online or by telephoning 01865 252240.
Further information
ODS is a a wholly owned company of Oxford City Council.
At ODS we're building a new kind of business. A business that’s good for everyone; one that creates a more inclusive and sustainable economy that truly balances purpose and profit, one that considers the impact of their decisions on their employees, customers, suppliers, community, and the environment.
Find out more on the ODS website.
