03 August 2020

Aberdeenshire Council welcomes assistance from local groups on grass cutting

As restrictions continue to ease across Aberdeenshire, we appreciate that many open spaces (i.e parks and large grassy areas) require further work to bring them to a reasonable standard, accepting the impact that COVID-19 continues to have on a wide variety of Council services.

Since the resumption of grass cutting in June 2020, landscape services have been working tirelessly through the backlog in a prioritised manner and have already completed work at a number of sites.

Work at school sites is the current priority, as the date for pupils to return has now been set.  Our teams are aiming to complete the remaining work as quickly as possible before pupils return to school this month.

However, there is still much for us to do across general open spaces and within the school estate.  Prior to Covid-19, there were a number of very positive collaborations with local groups that assisted us in managing soft landscaping within communities across Aberdeenshire. As restrictions ease, we are pleased that these collaborations are now starting to be re-established.

Nonetheless, we are always keen to hear from groups or individuals who wish to get involved in their local area, whether that be at a school site, or “adopting” a floral display in a town.

Several local farmers and agricultural contractors have already volunteered their time and equipment to help with this large undertaking, to which we are greatly appreciative. 

While we appreciate every offer of assistance, it is important that all work is carried out appropriately and safely to protect everyone involved. Some guidance has already been developed that highlights the type of works that groups can help with. 

Additional guidance is also available to operators of specialist plant, such as farmers and agricultural contractors, that explains how they can get involved.

We are grateful for the offers of support we have received, and we value any further assistance from local communities.

If you would like to offer your support, please contact us via email at greenspace@aberdeenshire.gov.uk

Link to guidance for community groups/individuals: http://bit.ly/Communityguidance

Link to guidance for farmers/agricultural contractors: https://bit.ly/Contractorguidance