Winter maintenance in your neighbourhood begins

This month 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.

Thanks everyone for bearing with us so far during the pandemic. In March our Neighbourhood Care team had to postpone its grass cutting service due to coronavirus and we know that some of our areas looked a bit overgrown and unloved as a result. From May the team restarted work, cutting grass between four and five weeks to keep our neighbourhoods in good order as much as possible through the summer and into autumn.

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. You can view the winter maintenance schedule here on our website.

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.