Oldham’s weeding woes: parks staff redeployed to tackle weeds despite promises cuts would not impact green spaces

Labour run Oldham Council has again come under fire from Liberal Democrat opposition councillors over an ongoing failure to sort out a maintenance arrangement for weeds.  Despite the Council losing its weeds contractor last year, no temporary provision was put in place, and there is no evidence of the new contractor undertaking any work in 2024.

For more than 12, and 18 months in some cases many parts of the Borough no weed spraying has happened at all.  According to a recent councillor briefing (14/6/24), Oldham Council is now redeploying parks and street sweeping staff to attempt to tackle the weeds backlog.   

Liberal Democrat Group Leader councillor Howard Sykes MBE said, “Not only have the current administration not been able to source an effective new contractor, but they have also failed to put any temporary arrangements in place.  This has not gone unnoticed by our residents and businesses.”

“Oldham’s Labour administration made a series of cuts to Environmental Services at the last budget meeting but gave assurances to me and my Liberal Democrat colleagues that front line services would not be impacted.  A briefing sent to councillors recently stated that ‘trained council Environmental Services staff will now be carrying out weed treatment work on highways, roads, and footpaths across the borough over the coming weeks and months, weather permitting.’”

Councillor Sykes said, “Liberal Democrats warned that Labour’s budget cuts would impact frontline services and we were told that was not the case.  Several months later the Council is redeploying the teams that are supposed to look after our parks and green spaces which are already looking unloved.  This will have a major impact on them, if this extra work is being undertaken work in our parks and green spaces will not happen – after all people cannot be in two places at the same time.”  

“We’re more than a year on and the Council has not resolved the weeds contract.  There should be a proactive programme to tackle weeds instead of just waiting for complaints and then pulling people off of other jobs,” stated councillor Sykes

“What state will our parks and green spaces fall into while redeployed staff tackle the backlog from the ‘Day of the Triffids?’   

More from Councillor Sykes on Oldham’s weeding woes (July 2023)
It is like Day of the Triffids – Howard Sykes (mycouncillor.org.uk)

Councillors Briefing (14 June 2024)
Highways weeding update
Trained council Environmental Services staff will now be carrying out weed treatment work on highways, roads, and footpaths across the borough over the coming weeks and months, weather permitting.
This means, in the short term, more weeds may be seen on the highways network, however steps are being taken to address the issue.
As well as our staff treating weeds, road sweepers will also be used to remove them.

If you are contacted by residents, please share this information.