Grounds Maintenance and Outdoor Sports

Consultation has concluded

This consultation closed on 2nd November 2021. The results will be presented as part of Cabinet papers on 2nd December 2021.

Please note that this consultation is only open to sports clubs and other groups making use of Tunbridge Wells sports grounds and open spaces. If you are part of a group or club and would like to provide a response to this consultation, please contact peter.every@tunbridgewells.gov.uk

The Council currently employs a contractor to maintain parks and open spaces. The current Grounds Maintenance contract expires on the 31st December 2021 and the Council have agreed a one year extension to consider all options for the delivery of the service. The process of transferring management responsibilities between the outgoing incumbent and any new service provider can be lengthy and complex.

The current grounds maintenance contract is currently held by Sodexo Landscape Services who sub-contract to Tivoli Services. The contract covers the management of the main parks and open spaces in Royal Tunbridge Wells plus sports facilities in the town including the Nevill cricket ground and St Mark's Rugby ground. The contract also provides maintenance for other areas owned by the Council in the wider borough.

The Nevill Cricket GroundThe Nevill Cricket Ground

Tunbridge Wells Borough Councils recognises that it might not always be best placed to operate facilities and there is scope for some sports clubs to take responsibility for management and maintenance of some facilities. There is a precedent for this and some clubs who lease land from the Council already carry out maintenance independently without support.

As part of the Local Plan an area adjacent to Hawkenbury Recreation Ground has been identified as a site for the development of a sports hub to meet the demands for football highlighted in the playing pitch strategy published in 2017. Hawkenbury Sports Hub will provide a centre of excellence for football including a 3g stadia, 3g training pitch, grass pitches, parking and changing facilities.

This consultation will assist in identifying clubs who may have an interest in the Hub and how it could potentially be operated and who would be responsible for maintenance.

During the current COVID-19 pandemic and the periods of lockdown, the use of parks by the public increased indicating the importance of parks and green open spaces. This consultation will assist the Council in identifying best practice in the delivery of the service and understand the willingness of friends groups and other organisations to assist in supporting the maintenance of our parks and open spaces.

Calverley GroundsCalverley Grounds

As a Council we need to be mindful of the cost of delivering the grounds maintenance service especially as Council budgets are under severe pressure and are likely to remain so for some time to come. We may need to take some difficult decisions and look at new ways of working in order to deliver the service.

Tunbridge Wells Borough Council set a target of being net carbon neutral by 2030 and to achieve this we will need to take into consideration some of our current practices and how we can change them. Some of the practices may include reducing the number of cuts to some grass areas or changing cutting regimes completely. We are also considering reducing our reliance on seasonal bedding by replacing with permanent planting.

This consultation closed on 2nd November 2021. The results will be presented as part of Cabinet papers on 2nd December 2021.

Please note that this consultation is only open to sports clubs and other groups making use of Tunbridge Wells sports grounds and open spaces. If you are part of a group or club and would like to provide a response to this consultation, please contact peter.every@tunbridgewells.gov.uk

The Council currently employs a contractor to maintain parks and open spaces. The current Grounds Maintenance contract expires on the 31st December 2021 and the Council have agreed a one year extension to consider all options for the delivery of the service. The process of transferring management responsibilities between the outgoing incumbent and any new service provider can be lengthy and complex.

The current grounds maintenance contract is currently held by Sodexo Landscape Services who sub-contract to Tivoli Services. The contract covers the management of the main parks and open spaces in Royal Tunbridge Wells plus sports facilities in the town including the Nevill cricket ground and St Mark's Rugby ground. The contract also provides maintenance for other areas owned by the Council in the wider borough.

The Nevill Cricket GroundThe Nevill Cricket Ground

Tunbridge Wells Borough Councils recognises that it might not always be best placed to operate facilities and there is scope for some sports clubs to take responsibility for management and maintenance of some facilities. There is a precedent for this and some clubs who lease land from the Council already carry out maintenance independently without support.

As part of the Local Plan an area adjacent to Hawkenbury Recreation Ground has been identified as a site for the development of a sports hub to meet the demands for football highlighted in the playing pitch strategy published in 2017. Hawkenbury Sports Hub will provide a centre of excellence for football including a 3g stadia, 3g training pitch, grass pitches, parking and changing facilities.

This consultation will assist in identifying clubs who may have an interest in the Hub and how it could potentially be operated and who would be responsible for maintenance.

During the current COVID-19 pandemic and the periods of lockdown, the use of parks by the public increased indicating the importance of parks and green open spaces. This consultation will assist the Council in identifying best practice in the delivery of the service and understand the willingness of friends groups and other organisations to assist in supporting the maintenance of our parks and open spaces.

Calverley GroundsCalverley Grounds

As a Council we need to be mindful of the cost of delivering the grounds maintenance service especially as Council budgets are under severe pressure and are likely to remain so for some time to come. We may need to take some difficult decisions and look at new ways of working in order to deliver the service.

Tunbridge Wells Borough Council set a target of being net carbon neutral by 2030 and to achieve this we will need to take into consideration some of our current practices and how we can change them. Some of the practices may include reducing the number of cuts to some grass areas or changing cutting regimes completely. We are also considering reducing our reliance on seasonal bedding by replacing with permanent planting.