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Dear Applicant

RE: Parks Operative/Gardener

Thank you for your interest in the above post. Please find enclosed in this application pack the following documents:

  • Job Description
  • Person Specification
  • Structure Chart
  • Service Overview

Application Form:

The application form plays a key part in our selection process. We use the information you provide to shortlist for interview.

You are urged to ensure that all the information contained in your application is relevant and that you demonstrate how you meet the criteria on the person specification. Please use the person specification for guidance when filling in the application form.

References: If successful at interview, Ipswich Borough Council will seek to obtain two employment references. Wherever possible the name of your first referee must be from current employment/education and the second from either current or former employment/education. If you cannot provide an “employment” reference please contact the HR Team at Ipswich Borough Council for further assistance.

If you have any recruitment queries, please do not hesitate to contact us on 01473 433402. Please leave your name, number and brief details of your question and a member of the recruitment team will call you back.

Ipswich Borough Council

Job Description: L31

Operative - Parks and Cemeteries

(Gardener, Grasscutter, Public Convenience Cleaner)

Main Purpose of Job

Assist with parks and open spaces horticultural maintenance and improvement operations to achieve high quality standards throughout all areas maintained and with due regard to relevant statutory obligations e.g. Health & Safety, environmental protection, and biodiversity.

Main Duties

  1. To assist with parks and open spaces horticultural maintenance and development tasks in various locations in accordance with computer generated work schedules or as directed. E.g. Routine - general grass cutting / strimming, shrub / rose bed maintenance, attendant duties, leaf clearance etc.
  1. To follow instructions and schedules, and assist Technician Gardener. Complete all paperwork relevant to the job e.g. task tickets and timesheets, monitoring sheets in an accurate and timely fashion.
  1. To carry out all operations in accordance with current Health and Safety requirements following Safe Systems of Work and Risk Assessments at all times, including routine daily checks and basic maintenance to any plant and machinery allocated as required and report defects.
  1. To deliver high standards of customer care to Parks & Cemeteries service users.

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  1. To participate, as required, in the service area emergency response plans, including out of hours working.
  1. Such variations as may be required from time to time without changing the general character of the duties shown above or the level of responsibility entailed.

/ PERSON SPECIFICATION
Parks & Open Spaces Operative
ATTRIBUTES / ESSENTIAL / DESIRABLE / METHOD OF ASSESMENT
Qualifications / Health & Safety Qualification / Certificate/ Application Form
Relevant experience / Experience of working in a public facing environment / Experience in amenity horticulture, including the use of associated machinery / Application form/ Interview
Specialist knowledge / Good knowledge of plants and their maintenance needs
Manual Handling / Application form/ Interview
Personal skills / Ability to communicate effectively
Ability to work as part of a team
Demonstrate good customer care skills
Ability to follow procedures and instructions / Application form/ Interview
Special working conditions / Valid Driving Licence (write on the form if you do not have a driving licence due to disability. This will not stop you getting an interview. If you get an interview we will see if we need to make changes so you can do the work)
Must be 18 or over (use of powered machinery unsupervised)
Ability to work outside in all weathers
Ability to carry out manual tasks such as considerable bending, lifting and walking / Application form/ Interview

Ipswich Borough Council

PARKS & CEMETERIES

Vision Statement

The service is incredibly diverse as illustrated in the diagram below. The ability to provide the Council with a ‘one stop shop’ for all parks and open space related functions, offers considerable benefits, these includes; being able to respond quickly to instructions and requests, especially important when dealing with emergency situations; the capacity to prioritise at short notice in order to meet changing circumstances, without necessarily incurring additional expense, and having a range of in-house skills and knowledge available at all times in order to be able to defend and safeguard the Council’s interests.

The desire to continuously raise performance and efficiency is firmly embedded within the culture of the service area. National and inter-national accreditation to ISO 9001, (Management process), ISO 14001 (Environmental process) and ISO 18001 (Health & Safety process) bears witness to this fact.

The Parks Service undertakes the strategic and day to day operational management of over 518 hectares of parks and open spaces including English Heritage listed historic parks to green flag standards. This includes policy and strategy development, formulation and implementation of site based management and maintenance plans.

Although having had some success in securing various grant awards, there is general recognition among staff and others that more could be done to raise the profile of the service and promote the town’s parks and open spaces.

The process of reaching out to and engaging with local communities and relevant user groups is widely accepted as one of the cornerstones of effective and sustainable management of urban green space. The Service encourages community ownership, is able to provide expertise and offer appropriate support to individuals and groups that show an interest in either improving or managing their local open space.

A well trained and competent workforce is essential to the success of any organisation and in this regard the Parks and Open Spaces Service is no different. Continuous staff development remains a priority for the service and natural progression through the career structure is encouraged.

Current Management Arrangements

The Service supports the Council’s underlying principle for the citizens of Ipswich as set out in its Corporate Plan ‘Building a better Ipswich’.

In general this includes:

  • Improving the health and well-being of the people of Ipswich
  • Reducing the levels of crime in the town
  • Improving the quality of life of the people of Ipswich
  • Enhancing the self-esteem of the people of Ipswich
  • Giving the people of Ipswich the opportunity to take part in a wide variety of cultural and sporting activities

The Parks ‘Operational Plan’ will contribute directly to these principles.