Tag Archive for: Council

Sandy Town Council ‘goes electric’ with ET Lander

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Sandy Town Council ‘goes electric’ with ET Lander: Sandy Town Council has invested in an eco-friendly ET Lander utility vehicle from Etesia UK, via local dealer RT Machinery, as it takes steps to reduce carbon emissions before 2030.

The vehicle marks an important step in the ‘council’s commitment to improving the environment of Sandy’.

Sandy Town Council 'goes electric' with ET Lander

Sandy Town Council ‘goes electric’ with ET Lander

Underlining its commitment to the environment and completing one of the actions within its Environmental Plan, Sandy Town Council has confirmed the purchase from local dealer RT Machinery to replace a diesel truck which was coming to the end of its life.

Following several months of research and a number of successful demonstrations with RT Machinery, the council agreed that the new eco-friendly, efficient and long-range all-electric vehicle would offer a versatile solution for the council’s town and green spaces maintenance.

Town Mayor, Cllr Pettitt said: “With 2030 in mind, I warmly welcome the decision taken by the council.

“This compact, all-electric vehicle with zero CO2 emissions will provide our outdoor team with greater flexibility in the way they work throughout the town, given its compact design and off-road capabilities, most especially in the cemetery, recreation and amenity areas and the Pinnacle and Sand Hills.

“The battery will have sufficient range for a full day’s work and can serve as a power source for additional rechargeable, portable equipment such as power saws and strimmers, thus reducing and in time eliminating our carbon footprint.”

After making its debut in 2021, the Etesia ET Lander has taken the industry by storm. 100% electric, spacious, well-equipped and user-friendly, it is built on a robust chassis and has an array of options including a three-way tipper bed with dual control from the fully fitted two-seater cab or by remote control when outside the vehicle.

The new models are fully N1 homologation compliant meaning that the ET Lander is fully road legal along with being able to be used off road. These upgraded models also feature lithium-ion batteries which ensures that the range of the ET Lander will extend to 100km and have a charger system compatible with a standard type 2EV car charger.

The Etesia ET Lander utility vehicle comes complete with a comprehensive two-year warranty and five-year warranty on batteries.

For further information, please contact Etesia UK on 01295 680120 or visit www.etesia.co.uk.

For more news, reviews and insightful views, you can follow Etesia UK on Twitter @EtesiaUK and like the company’s Facebook page – www.facebook.com/EtesiaUK. You can also view the latest Etesia videos by visiting www.youtube.com/EtesiaUK.

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Midlothian Council making an impact with Pellenc

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Midlothian Council making an impact with Pellenc: Midlothian may be one of the smallest councils in Scotland, but it is certainly making a big impact with a little help from a range of Pellenc battery-powered equipment.  

“I think we are the second smallest local authority by area in Scotland,” said Jim Hay, Grounds Maintenance Manager for Midlothian Council. “However, as far as we are aware we have more electric equipment than any of the other councils and we’re trying to lead the way in this respect.”

Midlothian Council making an impact with Pellenc

Midlothian Council making an impact with Pellenc

From managing teams to choosing equipment, Jim is responsible for overseeing the maintenance of all the grounds and green spaces throughout Midlothian. One of his biggest responsibilities is the health and safety of the personnel who are operating grounds maintenance equipment, and it is for this very reason that he first started exploring battery-powered technology.

“We identified that the Hand-Arm Vibration (HAV) measurements on the majority of our petrol equipment were not ideal and felt that battery-powered machinery was the solution,” said Jim. “For this reason, we looked at a wide-range of equipment from various manufacturers. Unfortunately, we found that most of the equipment was not to a professional standard – it appeared to be more suited to domestic use.

“Pellenc however, was different. As far as we are concerned, Pellenc is by far the best professional equipment in the battery-powered market.”

A forerunner when it comes to lithium-ion technology, Pellenc has established itself as the number one choice in the ‘zero emission’ professional power tools market for the maintenance of urban and green-spaces.

Light, odourless, noise-free, with no starting problems and enough power to enable professional users to work for a full day on a single charge, it’s no wonder more and more professional users are turning to Pellenc. It is an attractive alternative to those who have, for several years, been relying on fuel-based machinery.

A demonstration was arranged through Pellenc dealer Agrovista Amenity, and Midlothian Council purchased a wide range of Pellenc products which included Rasion pedestrian mowers, Helion hedge trimmers, Selion chainsaws, Excelion grass strimmers and Airion blowers.

The equipment is already making a positive difference in many areas throughout the borough of Midlothian as Jim explained.

“The Pellenc tools are used in a lot of the local schools because we can operate them when classes are on or when exams are in progress, due to how quiet the machinery is. It’s the same when we work close to residential homes or the public in general.

“Aside from the equipment being so quiet it is just so much easier and more comfortable for the staff. With our old petrol machinery, they could only use it for three hours at a time because of the HAV levels, but they can use the Pellenc tools all day. The battery life is excellent, and we can run them all day if needed.

“I’ve had nothing but positive feedback from everyone using it.”

Jim claims that his experience has been boosted by the dedicated Pellenc technical centre – which was launched after Agrovista Amenity joined forces with Edinburgh City Council. It means that customers like Jim, have access to dedicated Pellenc operatives who have been fully trained at the state-of-the-art Pellenc factory in Pertuis, France.

“We have definitely benefited from the Pellenc service centre,” he said. “Whenever I need a machine serviced, looking at, or need any advice then I can just call the team there. It’s a fantastic service and when the Pellenc equipment goes in for a service it is always returned very quickly.”

Jim feels that the purchase of the Pellenc equipment is another step in the right direction for Midlothian Council.

“The public are becoming more ‘green aware’ – and we are doing our utmost to boost our green credentials. We first started investing in electric equipment five years ago we are proud of what we have achieved already.

“Going forward we are keen to record the savings in CO2 emissions from this change in power source to further demonstrate our green credentials. We are already telling people to keep their eyes peeled because we have more electric equipment coming.”

Pellenc is distributed exclusively in the UK by Etesia UK.

For further information, please contact Etesia UK on 01295 680120 or visit www.pellencuk.com

You can also follow Pellenc on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @PellencUK for much more news, reviews and insightful views.

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Council delivering with Ventrac

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Council delivering with Ventrac: North Lincolnshire Council is committed to delivering best value to its residents and demonstrated this with the recent purchase of two Ventrac 4500 all-terrain compact tractors and multiple attachments. Delivered and installed by local dealer Russells, the package also included two MU rotary mowing decks, one Tough Cut deck and a Tiller attachment.

So impressed with the versatility of the Ventrac, the council’s Green and Open Spaces Manager Carl Beacock, is already looking at adding an Aeravator, Contour mowing deck, Edger and Finishing deck to this ever burgeoning mini-fleet.

Council delivering with Ventrac

Council delivering with Ventrac

Prior to taking up this latest position, experience groundscare professional Carl Beacock spent 7 years as Grounds Maintenance Manager at the Riverside Housing Group and 9 years as Estate Manager for Kingston-upon- Hull Council.

“We were looking to replace our aging Aebi mower,” he said, “but I wanted to ensure that we achieved best value with an alternative machine that was more than a ‘one-trick pony’, albeit the Aebi is a very competent one!

“When researching the market, I spoke to some colleagues in the south of England, who provided effusive feedback on the Ventrac, especially its versatility. This sounded exactly what I was looking for – a machine that not only performs well as a mower, but one that could be used 52 weeks a year with the right attachments.

“We contacted our local dealer Russells, who quickly organised a demonstration and within less than a minute I realised it was the machine for us. It performs on slopes, its stability is excellent and every attachment does what we expect, ticking the box for versatility. We are mandated to maintain all green spaces in the area including parks, sports pitches, cemeteries and roadside verges. Traditionally we have been using ride-on cylinder and rotary mowers, but they are designed for one specific purpose. whereas the Ventrac is much more versatile.

“We can mow our sports pitches down at 25 mm, then change out the deck in a matter of minutes and be cutting down bracken and brambles. We have a policy of introducing more wildflower meadows across the area and for this this purpose we purchased the tiller attachment. This helps us quickly prepare the soil bed in readiness for the specialist seed mixes and we can do it on steep slopes. We can also use it when we are restoring football and rugby pitches.

“I think this demonstrates that we have purchased a couple of multi-capacity machines, that produce a finished cut on fine turf as good as our current cylinder mowers, but can fulfil numerous other functions. We have been blown away by their performance; every member of my team is commenting on how good they are and that doesn’t happen very often! Without a doubt, it’s a great piece of kit and the best investment I’ve made during my career.”

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Council protects parks and green spaces

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Council protects parks and green spaces: Liverpool residents will be guaranteed access to park and green spaces, forever, removing the threat that any might be built on or sold off, in a new strategic partnership between green space charity Fields in Trust and Liverpool City Council. Liverpool is the first local authority to ensure local access to green space in perpetuity for all its citizens by legally protecting each of their eligible parks and green spaces.

The city council’s Cabinet, on Friday March 19th, committed to legally protect 100 much-loved parks and green spaces across the city, totalling over 1,000 hectares and sets the ambition that every resident will live no more than a ten-minute walk from a high-quality green space. Protected parks include local recreation grounds as well as well-known city centre destination parks and children’s playgrounds. (see attached) This landmark decision ensures there will always be local parks and green spaces available for current and future generations of Liverpudlians to enjoy.

Council protects parks and green spaces

Council protects parks and green spaces

Parks and green spaces have been vital over the last year as places to play, exercise, relax, reflect and the only safe place to meet loved ones and connect with friends and our neighbours; they will continue to be important as part of our recovery from the Coronavirus pandemic.

As part of the wider City Recovery Plan Liverpool’s Acting Mayor, Councillor Wendy Simon has committed to work with Fields in Trust and secure legal protection of Liverpool’s entire portfolio of green space. The decision is based on evidence of the health, wellbeing and community benefits they deliver. Councillor Simon said “Liverpool is blessed to have so many stunning green spaces, and this new initiative means we can ensure everyone has access to free, local outdoor spaces for sport, play and recreation, forever.
“The health, wellbeing and community benefits these locations deliver are priceless, demonstrated so clearly during this pandemic where they have become such a central and important part of our lives.

“And the benefits aren’t just health related. Access to green spaces improves our neighbourhoods, tackles climate change, supports education and economic growth and they frequently become the stage on which we host many of our hugely popular cultural celebrations.
“Our partnership with Fields in Trust is a ground-breaking, forward-thinking approach to protecting our parks and green spaces and we look forward to working with them to secure the future of these vital assets.”

The Covid-19 pandemic has affected Liverpool more severely than many parts of the UK: both in the number of cases and the rate of infection. Research conducted by Fields in Trust has demonstrated clear physical health and mental wellbeing benefits from regular use of parks and green spaces, yet these vital community assets are not equally distributed.

Fields in Trust’s evaluation of Liverpool’s green space shows that there is around 25.3 square metres per person, around a quarter the size of a six-yard box on a football pitch. Yet only four hectares of Liverpool’s parks are currently protected leaving them vulnerable to loss or building development. This new commitment will protect green spaces in every one of Liverpool’s 30 wards and guarantee they will remain as green spaces forever. This is vital when 1 in 6 people in Liverpool (16%) have no access to a private or shared garden, compared to 1 in 8 people (12%) across Britain as a whole. Additionally, the average size of Liverpudlians’ private outdoor space (144.4m2) is less than half the average across Britain (332.7m2). (Source: ONS)

Fields in Trust Chair of Trustees, Jo Barnett said: “Through the pandemic we’ve realised just how valuable parks and green spaces are to our health and wellbeing, yet across the UK only 6% of parks are protected and access to them is not equitable. We welcome this pioneering commitment by Liverpool City Council to recognise the proven physical and mental health benefits of local parks. These are valuable places; places where we can all move, breathe, run and play. We need to champion and support these precious spaces by protecting them for future generations to enjoy. Because once lost, they are lost forever.”
With the population of Liverpool set to increase by 10.3% over the next 20 years, any future loss of parks and green spaces would disproportionately impact the most disadvantaged and underrepresented communities, who would be missing out on these health benefits, as well as opportunities to get out into nature, have a kickabout and connect with their neighbours.

Fields in Trust have been conducting development work in Liverpool, using an evidence-led approach to make the case to Liverpool City Council for the legal protection of their green spaces; as well as contributing to Simon O’Brien’s green space audit, becoming a partner of the Liverpool City Region Year of Environment and supporting local Friends of parks groups. At the 2019 General Election, MP for Liverpool, West Derby, Ian Byrne, along with 37 other MPs took Fields in Trust’s “Parks Protector Pledge”, committing to championing parks and green spaces within their constituencies and across the UK.

Full details of the pioneering agreement between Liverpool City Council and Fields in Trust can be found on the Fields in Trust Website www.fieldsintrust.org/liverpool

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Mankar ULV praised by Luton Council

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Mankar ULV praised by Luton Council: Luton Borough Council has been reaping the benefits of using innovative Mankar spraying units in its weed control programme.

The promising results come after Agrovista Amenity won a contract for the supply of weed control products to Luton Council. The tender was based on Roundup glyphosate and Mankar ULV spraying units.

Mankar ULV praised by Luton Council

Mankar ULV praised by Luton Council

Mankar spraying units are professional systems for effective, environmentally responsible and economical weed control, with Roundup glyphosate being applied without water. All the spraying units are based on ULV technology which stands for ‘ultra-low volume.’

The primary area of application for Luton Council is pavement weed control, but the units can be introduced for use on highways, parks, grounds, public gardens, cemeteries and educational establishments.

Duncan Stirling, Street Spraying Manager at Luton Council, was attracted to the many benefits of the Mankar spraying system. He said: “A 50% reduction in the amount of herbicide required to maintain these areas will provide an immediate economic benefit, both in purchasing herbicide, and reduction in disposing of plastic containers.

“The ease of use with the Mankar system, in that the herbicide can be applied neat, is of continual benefit to us as it negates the need to pre-mix into knapsacks or source water supplies. This will provide a noticeable benefit to operatives in time efficiency.

“The battery life of the machine provides more than enough charge for each period of use and if required, batteries can be easily switched. Feedback from all our operatives has been extremely positive, particularly in relation to ergonomics; the 3.4kg spraying unit is a lot more comfortable in comparison to knapsack and other spraying systems, which can weigh over 20kg. The team has also commented on how quiet the device is when operating, causing minimal disruption to members of the public.

“Not only will we be saving money, but we will also see an improvement in the quality of the areas we maintain.”

Following the award of the contract, Agrovista Amenity delivered a training session to the team of operatives. Ed Smith, Landscape Team Manager for Agrovista Amenity is delighted to see the Mankar systems making a difference for Luton Council.

“It’s been fantastic to see Luton Council report such positive results from using the Mankar sprayers,” he said.

“Not only are they a cost-effective solution, but they are more environmentally friendly, more comfortable for the operatives and ultimately, they achieve a high level of weed control in comparison to other spray systems available.”

For more information about Agrovista Amenity, visit www.agrovista.co.uk/amenity

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