Girsecutting

[petergear]

Just to say, I put a letter in to the paper, but unfortunately there was no letters page this week. Anyway, here's a copy of what I sent in:

 

"A couple of people, mistakenly believing that it was still the responsibility of my own firm, have recently complained to me about the standard of some of the grass cutting work around SIC property. I wish to preserve my firm's reputation for delivering quality, so I am writing to let everyone know that most of the SIC contracts were awarded some weeks ago to a firm based in Ayrshire. The areas which the new firm are responsible for are the playparks, sheltered housing schemes, urban verge areas, open spaces, planted areas, and offices. If anyone has any comments regards the standard of anyone's work, please contact the SIC directly; the main switchboard number is 693535."

[JustMe]

Wouldnt like to tell us how an Ayrshire firm can come in at a lower price than someone local would you?. I mean the ecconomics just dont add up. Either the service will be bad or it is an attempt to kill off local firms before tendering at inflated prices in the years to come.

[BigMouth]

Are they employing locals?

[Ghostrider]

Wouldnt like to tell us how an Ayrshire firm can come in at a lower price than someone local would you?. I mean the ecconomics just dont add up. Either the service will be bad or it is an attempt to kill off local firms before tendering at inflated prices in the years to come.

 

I beg to differ I'm afraid, a number of local contracts and services are and have been operated by non-Shetland based firms, apparently both successfully and profitably.

 

At the end of the day there is very little difference between the overheads a local firm carry and those a non-Shetland firm carry when servicing a Shetland contract. A non-Shetland firm has to purchase machinery, equipment and consumables and get it here, and so does a local firm, those items have to be stored somewhere which costs one way or another, but it costs a local firm likewise. It won't matter either as regards cost whether they employ locals or send in people, they need only pay them the same, as in the case of employing non-locals they only need to make it clear to the individuals when hiring them that the job on offer is in Shetland, and if they want to accept it it's up to them to find their own way here and find and pay for their own accomodation.

 

In fact, if a non-Shetland firm already knows it has lost a contract elsewhere, it makes a great deal of sense to them to tender for a contract somewhere else for only a minimal amount over cost. As they already know they have spare machinery, equipment and possibly personnel to hand, and it makes much better business sense to have it operating even if it's only bringing in a minimal profit for them, than have to sell at used value, which may actually be a significant loss on it's actual worth, or have to pay for storage, maintenance and possibly ongoing purchase payments, as well as depreciation, while bringing nothing back to them.

[petergear]

Are they employing locals?

 

Brief answer: No.

[petergear]

In reply to Ghost Rider's comments, I would say that this is an excellent insight into some of the economics of the issue.

[petergear]

In reply to Just Me's comments:

 

Put it this way, between my own firm and Peter Stevenson's outfit, we were doing all the work which "Golder Landscapes" are now undertaking, with SIX "squads". Golders are trying to do the work with only TWO squads. In my own (restrained) opinion, they are not going to be able to "cut it" (pun intended) with regard to fulfilling the black-and-white necessity of the specification, which was laid out in the all-new-revised contract, unless they throw a lot more people at it.

 

And are they cutting corners (ouch, puns again...)? Er..... I have to be careful what I say, but other people have been noticing that their work is below par. Their mowing is fine (it's hard to go far wrong with a mower), but it's the other little time-consuming aspects of the work which they're making "economies" in (strimming, clearing-up grass clippings off the pavements, emptying bins in playparks, litter-picking etc). Frustrating for myself and the other Shetland contractors to watch, because we all priced to actually fulfil the new contract terms as they were written.

 

In fairness their work has improved, I would say, even over the past few days, but they still have half of Shetland to get through on their first "round", and they would need to be starting their second round by now. I have no idea why they put in such a low bid (their price was REALLY low), but my best guess is that it was either something along the lines of Ghost Rider's suggestion, or they simply made a horrific error of judgement.

 

Incidentally, they are supposed to have everything on the first round cut by the 12th May at the latest (earlier today in other words), so if you're aware of any housing schemes, urban verge areas, open spaces or playparks which haven't had a going-over yet, feel free to let the council know about it.

[Ghostrider]

As the contract has been revised it's going to be slighty more difficult, at least initially, to know if anything done differently from previous years is an omission on the part of the the contract company, or a result of a change in contract specification.

 

The small play area here was done the other week, and it was, IMHO, a perfectly acceptable job. At the same time a small area of waste ground was cut, which has never been cut in the past 7 years at least, and most likely has never been cut since the SIC obtained it around 10 years ago. On the flip side however, several hundred yards of verge adjoining a roadside pavement which has always been regularly cut every year wasn't done at all. Admittedly that grass, over most of that area at least, was relatively short as a result of the cold late spring slowing growth, and would have for the greater part only have gained minimal benefit from a pass with the mower. So it's probably best not to judge too harshly until it becomes apparent how it is handled during the faster period of growth later this month, during next and in to early July.

[peeriebryan]

This is a subject I feel very strongly about, as I've been cutting grass in Shetland and on the mainland for well over 10 years

 

I think it is inevitable for the new contractors to have a good few teething troubles as they get used to the rounds and the logistics of cutting such vast swathes of Shetland, so I'll reserve judgement as to the quality of their work until the season is in full swing

 

IMHO it will be absolutely impossible for the new contactors to meet the specs with only two squads. As peter correctly points out, in previous years there were 6 squads on the job, and we were flat out for the whole summer. Presumably they're going to throw some more people at it as the season progresses, or they're going to have to cut a good few corners! The best folk can do is phone the SIC (693535) if they think the new contractors are missing areas or the quality isn't up to scratch

 

I feel that, while the SIC have saved a few quid on the tender prices, the Shetland economy will suffer as a result. I estimate that there will be around 10 local jobs lost (if it's true that the new contractors aren't employing locals) and the profits from the contracts will go to a company on the mainland. In previous years, the money was invested back into the island economy. Additionally, I would imagine that the new contractors won't be using local services and suppliers as much and they'll be sourcing from the mainland

[petergear]

"...around 10 local jobs lost..."

 

Hi-aye Peerie Bryan. Just to say that it would be more like a dozen to fourteen local jobs.

[petergear]

I think it is inevitable for the new contractors to have a good few teething troubles as they get used to the rounds and the logistics of cutting such vast swathes of Shetland

 

Agreed Bryan. They are evidently trying to "train-up" some novices, on-the-job, with supervision from only one or two skilled workers. Which beggars the question as to why they delayed by most of a month, before they started the work. They were awarded the contract around the start of April. Although the growth this year was slow to kick-off, there were lots of jobs which they could have been getting on with in the meantime. For example there are numerous planted areas which were to be overhauled which they haven't started on yet, numerous areas of waste ground which were to be wrestled under control, hard surfaces which were needing a scrub, and so forth, all of which they could have done before the start of the main growing season. They delayed by far too long. What they have brought to Shetland is, IMHO, far too little far too late.

[Birsey]

Wir girs has a lot o mossy areas. Any of you girs cutting professionals have any tips to turn mossiness back to girsiness?

[BigMouth]

I was always stunned by the standard of grass cutting up here. Sooth, from whence I came, they dont pick up any of the cut grass, clean pavements or strim. Well they do the latter a bit, but only around the councils manicured flower beds. Normally parks are no go areas after the rains because of the huge clods of wet grass.

 

I get my grass cutting done for free, which is brilliant and due to where I live.

 

It's sad when the locals lose their jobs, but at least you know people and your reputations will assist you in finding work, perhaps even with the new firm

[JustMe]

Ghostrider wrote :-

 

as in the case of employing non-locals they only need to make it clear to the individuals when hiring them that the job on offer is in Shetland, and if they want to accept it it's up to them to find their own way here and find and pay for their own accomodation

 

With respect that is a non starter. Workers are not going to pay fares and digs money for a short seasonal job in Shetland. Not at whatever grass cutters get paid. And if perchance they did persuade anyone to come here would they not soon decide that nights and weekends at the catch offered better money.

[AngusMecoatup]

Real shame that the council are awarding local contracts to south firms.I am not sure of the economics of this matter, but 10-14 local people out of work must offset the money the council are saving by tendering outwith the isles. I also believe that local labour would take a bit more pride in their work than a squad up fae sooth, who are here to do a quick job with possibly little real interest in the final product,Perhaps?