Job Summary
To carry out tractor gang mowing, flailing, hedge cutting and to use other tractor mounted equipment as necessary to ensure the council’s parks, open spaces and football pitches are kept to a high standard. To successfully complete a range of skilled horticultural and ground maintenance duties to ensure the council’s parks, open spaces and housing communal gardens are maintained to a high standard. The post can operate across a range of sites throughout the borough and the work undertaken may vary depending on seasons.
Main Responsibilities
1. Drive and operate grass cutting machinery, adjusting the gang or rotary mowers in the appropriate way to achieve a good cut. A high degree of concentration is required to ensure safe driving, manoeuvring and operating of the machinery. The post holder will be expected to ensure that health and safety working practices are complied with when working on the highway and public places to ensure the safety of themselves and members of the public.
2. Carry out basic maintenance and daily checks to both the tractor and any mounted equipment and assist the small plant fitter when required to repair the tractor.
3. Carry out verge flailing and hedge cutting with mounted side arm flail, some of this work will be rural and the postholder will face some difficult driving conditions.
4. Attach, using three point linkage, different implements to the back of the tractor as required for the particular job in hand.
5. Carry out the initial marking out of the sport pitches and direct other operatives in helping to achieve this.
6. Have the knowledge and initiative to repair sports pitches in the appropriate way.
7. Have a working knowledge of how to use a contravator for football pitch renovation ensuring reseeding is carried out in an economic and effective manner.
8. Open and close sport pitches/parks as and when required and deal with members of the public in the appropriate manner when approached. Check the parks and open spaces for defects and report them back.
9. Carry out other grounds maintenance tasks as detailed below when seasonal demands do not require the use of tractors:
* Grass cutting using ride on cylinder or rotary mowers, hand mowers and strimmers.
* Shrub pruning and hedge cutting using hedge cutters and hand tools.
* Soil cultivation; digging, forking, mulching, raking, weeding, edging.
* Prepare, plant and maintain annual bedding beds.
* Shrub and tree planting.
* Clearing leaves and litter, including the use of a leaf blower.
* Assisting with tree works using shredders, chippers and stump grinders as necessary.
* Application of herbicides and pesticides and be competent in keeping accurate spraying records.
* Basic maintenance of horticultural plant and machinery.
* Emptying of litter and dog bins as required.
* Litter picking of sites and wider areas as required.
Provide a high quality of customer care when dealing with the public and their requests including encouraging users to respect the facilities and to seek compliance with the parks bye-laws. Ability to tow trailers of varying sizes in a safe manner to transport horticultural machinery, shrub prunings or tree cuttings as the job dictates. Drivers need to be able to carry out daily safety checks and confidently manoeuvre and reverse trailers in areas with restricted access and space.
Execute workmanship to a high standard and ensure it is carried out in strict compliance with the Health and Safety at Work Act, and any other relevant legislation covering safety in the workplace for self and others. Plan and organise the work, materials and equipment according to priorities, the size and complexity of the job, the need to minimise travel and other non-productive time, and the need to keep scheduled appointments.
Provide supervision and guidance to work experience/apprentices as and when required. Keep supervisory staff aware of progress and problems in a timely manner. Carry out gritting, salt spreading and snow clearing, as necessary, during bad weather.
General
Carry out such other duties as may be required of you, commensurate with the grade and level of responsibility, as directed by management. Participate as required in the Council’s Emergency Planning Operations which may involve duties outside the post holder’s normal job description and contracted hours. In the event that an incident has occurred which disrupts the council’s ability to deliver its critical functions, the post holder will be expected to participate in the recovery stage which may include undertaking duties within the post holder’s competencies in other departments and/or at other locations.
A commitment and contribution to the Council’s Equal Opportunities Policy is an essential requirement of the post. The post holder will carry out all duties and activities having regard to the provisions of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, and in accordance with any instructions from senior members of staff under that Act or any Council or Departmental Codes of Practice or Procedures. The post holder will comply with Statute and Council Policy in all respects.
An awareness and commitment to section 17 which places a statutory duty on police and local authorities to work in partnership to reduce crime and promote community safety is also required. A commitment to excellent customer service and the values of the Council.
Person Specification
Post: Tractor Driver
Post No:
Skills/Abilities
Essential
* Ability to manage their own time.
* Good communication skills.
* Good customer service skills.
* Methodical.
* Ability to estimate time and materials needed for assigned work projects.
* Ability to work with minimum supervision or as part of a team.
Desirable
Knowledge
Must be able to demonstrate a wide range of skills and knowledge in regards to tractor driving.
Qualification/Training
Verification will be required:
* NVQ level 2 in Horticulture or equivalent.
* NPTC level PA1 & PA6a pesticide certificate.
* Tractor boom spraying license for application of herbicide.
Experience
Level and type of previous experience
* Experience of working in a similar role.
* Experience of maintaining sports pitches.
* Experience of dealing with the public.
* Previous experience of general gardening/groundsman tasks.
* Experience of the code of practice of the new roads and street works act 1991.
Qualities
Particular qualities necessary to carry out the works
* Able to deal with difficult situations.
* Trouble shooting skills.
* Well organised.
* Good team player.
Special Conditions
e.g. willingness to work unsocial hours or wear a uniform
* A full and clean driving license.
* Must wear a uniform.
* Commitment to equal opportunities.
* Outside work is required in all weather conditions.
* Willingness to do work of a routine repetitive nature.
* Willingness to update skills and attend training courses.
* Willingness to work weekends and bank holidays if required.
#J-18808-Ljbffr