Cemeteries and Green Spaces - Reality and Fantasy back
The Reality
The Fantasy What should have happened under the contract What the Council said was happening
July 2007
The grass should have been cut twice in July
Three days before these photos were taken the Grounds Maintenance Register entry of 27/07/07 recorded: “Bins almost full must empty immediately. Moderate loose litter” No mention of the long grass and knee high weeds!!
Two weeks later at the LBH / Enterprise Review Meeting of 14/08/07 it was recorded that: “Cemeteries maintenance standard at Northwood was good”
Aug 2007
The headstone borders should have been cultivated and edged in the first week of July.
The grass had been cut in August but the contractor did not remove the arisings (cuttings) within 2 hours as required.
Sept 2007
The headstone borders should have been cultivated and edged in the first week of September. The path had still not been cleared of cuttings.
The Councils new Site Inspection Record completed on 17/09/07 recorded:“Edging as OK, and Footpaths OK”
At the subsequent Review Meeting of 05/09/07 it was recorded that: “Cemeteries - no problems at Northwood”
Nov/ Dec 2007
The headstone borders should have been cultivated and the edges trimmed in the first week of November. The contract also states that “Grass areas that abut headstone borders shall be edged using a half moon edging tool when necessary. This operation shall normally be carried out in November “
The path had still not been cleared of cuttings.
The Site Inspection Record completed on 19/11/07 recorded:“Edging as OK, and Footpaths OK”
The Review Meeting of 13/11/07 recorded“Cemeteries - no problems”.
Feb / Mar 2008
The headstone border edges had still not been trimmed or edged or cultivated. The path had still not been cleared of cuttings.
The Site Inspection Record completed on 23/01/08 recorded: “Edging as OK, and Footpaths OK”
The Review Meeting of 10/01/08 Under Review of last month’s performance makes no reference to Northwood Cemetery.
