Decision details

The Council requires a third party to deliver a specialist hay cut service and to remove the product from site. A tender process has been carried out to award a contract to carry out this work. The value of the contract awarded is potentially over £100,000.

This decision is to award a contract to deliver a conservation hay cut service on publicly accessible open space for 2021-22 and 2022-23.
Bristol has a number of heritage green spaces where managing grassland by annual conservation hay cutting has been continuous for decades and likely longer. This has resulted in rich, ecologically diverse habitats protected as Sites of Nature Conservation Interest and Sites of Special Scientific Interest.
The city also has a number of sites where annual conservation hay cutting is a more recent management regime designed to create new, ecologically diverse habitats over time. This is an important part of the city managing its parks and green spaces for the benefit of nature.

Option 1 - The Council has considered delivering this service itself. However this requires investment in new machinery and specialist training and developing a market for the product. This option may be reconsidered at the end of the contract award period.
Option 2 -
Option 3 -