Winter maintenance programme 2020/21

Our Neighbourhood Care team has started its winter grounds maintenance work programme to keep your neighbourhoods neat and tidy as we move into the colder months.

We are still able to look after the communal areas in your neighbourhood under the new national restrictions that came into force on 5 November. Our staff have been provided with the necessary equipment and safety advice to ensure they can deliver their services without risk to you or them. Please keep your distance from them if you see them working.

Grounds Maintenance winter works: what’s involved?

Between now and March we won’t be cutting grass but the team will be carrying out a range of essential maintenance and improvement works to keep First Choice Homes Oldham (FCHO) owned communal green spaces looking good now and in the future. View the schedule on this page to see when we'll be working in your neighbourhood.

The work that we undertake will vary depending on where you live but may include jobs such as:

  • Clearing shrub beds
  • Pruning shrubs and plants
  • Cutting hedges as required
  • Clearing weeds
  • Clearing and tidying garage sites and open spaces which belong to FCHO

Our teams may need to complete works over a period of time, so you may not see them working in your neighbourhood every week but please be reassured they will get round all your neighbourhoods over the winter season.

You can read more about our gardening services and standards in the repairs and maintenance section of our website.

Gritting, snow and leaves

Our teams don’t grit neighbourhoods or remove snow or leaves. However, we will clear leaves if they collect on FCHO owned footpaths and car parks to give you safe access if needed.

Please note not all the footpaths in our neighbourhoods are FCHO owned, some still belong to Oldham Council. If you have any questions about a footpath please get in touch with our Contact Centre. You can email servicecentre@fcho.co.uk or call 0161 393 7117.

Weed spraying

From the beginning of March our Neighbourhood Care team will be out in neighbourhoods getting ready for the grass cutting season to begin later in the month.

Among the jobs you’re likely to see the team doing is spraying weeds in FCHO owned areas. You’ll be able to spot them because they will be dressed in protective suits.

Here’s an overview of what you can expect:

Where will our team be treating weeds?

  • Along fence lines
  • Around obstacles, like lampposts and concrete bollards.
  • In shrub beds

What will we use to treat weeds?

Our team will be using environmentally approved and effective, low toxicity herbicides. These are harmless to humans and animals used in this way.

When will our team treat weeds in your neighbourhood?

You can see when our team will be working in your neighbourhood by checking the winter works programme on this page. Please note we can’t spray weeds in wet or windy weather.

Working safely in your neighbourhoods

We are still able to look after the communal areas in your neighbourhood under current Covid-19 rules. Our staff have been provided with the necessary equipment and safety advice to ensure they can deliver their services without risk to you or them. Please keep your distance from them if you see them working.

Ground Maintenance winter works programme March 2021

This schedule shows you when our Neighbourhood Care team will be working in your neighbourhood:

Week commencing 1 March 2021

  • Lower Sholver, Top Sholver
  • Holts Village
  • Alt Estate
  • Royton: Heyside, St Marks
  • Shaw: Oak Street Estate, Penmore & Cunliffe
  • Chadderton: Park Estate, Victoria Street, Bentley St bungalows, Apfel Lane, Wellington St