A PERSHORE firm has retained the open spaces and verge maintenance contract with Wychavon District Council following a competitive tender.

Smart Cut has won the fourth successive contract under a competitive tender in recent years.

The latest contract for the maintenance of open spaces and verges, involves Smart Cut providing a dedicated team made-up of eight team leaders with a number of supporting operatives, to carry out all works across Wychavon District Council land.

The team will undertake all grass maintenance work throughout the 664km2 Wychavon district, which includes the towns of Droitwich Spa, Evesham, and Pershore.

The scope of works to be delivered by Smart Cut under the Wychavon contract includes grass cutting on designated verges and open spaces, shrub bed planting and maintenance, management of the annual tree planting programme, stream and hedge maintenance work, and weed control.

Smart Cut, which has its head office, workshop, machinery store and training facility at Bishampton near Pershore, is part of the £5 million annual turnover Smart Cut Group, and has worked for Wychavon District Council on many of its maintenance contracts since the company was founded in the early 1990s.

The relationship originally began when Smart Cut’s founder Tom Rimell started The Vale Golf Course in 1989 and the maintenance contract transferred to Wychavon District Council from the DSO.

Lynn Stevens, senior parks and greenspace officer of the authority, said: “Smart Cut has given Wychavon good service over many years, and we’re pleased that the company has been successful in retaining the contract.

“We know that Smart Cut’s staff work well with our greenspace officers to effectively sort out work programmes and day-to-day schedules, and that they are very good at responding to emergencies or last-minute problems."

Smart Cut director Tom Rimell said: “Wychavon District Council was looking for a supplier with a robust environmental policy embedded in its day-to-day operations and Smart Cut’s green waste recycling systems, in place for 20-years, and our suite of tried and tested machinery and bespoke recycling bays at our Pershore base, adequately fulfilled this important, specific contract requirement.

“Not only are we able to meet all of the contract supplier criteria in this way, Smart Cut also has an enviable track record of delivery and service for Wychavon, and recently has won at least four successive contracts all under competitive tender, which I believe shows and demonstrates the quality of our work and customer service."

The company’s commercial manager Dawn Wallis, added: “Smart Cut Ltd is thrilled to have retained the WDC verges contract once again, which I believe serves to reinforce an already strong relationship forged over many years.”

For more on the firm visit smartcut.co.uk.