Grounds maintenance
Our Parks team is responsible for the management and enhancement of all parks, open spaces , closed churchyards, cemeteries that we own or maintain.
In the summer months, we cut grass, maintain shrub beds, flower beds, control weeds and pick up litter in these areas. In the winter months, we prune shrubs, cut back hedges and carry out remedial work.
To find which areas we look after see below:
- Parks, open spaces and play areas
- Grass cutting and Let It Bee project
- Closed churchyards
- Wildflower meadows
To report a problem with one of our areas, please contact our parks team.
For any issues relating to verges outside of these towns, please report an overgrown highway verge here or email highway enquiries.
Further information on footpaths and public rights of way is available from the Countryside service at Oxfordshire County Council on 01865 810226 or by email to: countryside@oxfordshire.gov.uk.
How we control weeds in our parks and open spaces
When maintaining our parks and open spaces we may use a small amount of herbicide in select locations to help control weeds where mechanical methods could cause damage or manual removal would take significant time.
We carry out this work twice a year on a range of hard surfaces, low profile shrub beds and around features such as young trees, fence lines, play equipment and pumping stations.
When we carry out this work we use Gallup Bio Amenity, a glyphosate which is approved for use within the current “UK Pesticides Register” and approved under the Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986.
As glyphosate is not a residual weedkiller the active chemicals are neutralised in the soil and so do not harm any other adjacent plants or enter the groundwater system. Glyphosate does not remain active in the ground and does not prevent more weeds from germinating.
Over larger areas our team will spot-treat weeds on foot using a backpack containing the fluid, selectively administering the fluid with the nozzle close to ground level. The weeds receive targeted treatment and the areas are not blanket treated.
Occasionally we may use a chemical moss killer or algaecide on hard surfaces where there is a risk of users falling over on the slippery surface (such as on rubber crumb surfaces in play areas).
Contact us - Parks
01235 422404
(Text phone users add 18001 before dialing)
