Action Plan – April 2016 to March 2017
Site: High Woods Country Park
Lead Officer/organisation
CPM = Country Parks Manager
CR = Countryside Rangers
VCO = Visitor Centre Officer
VCA = Visitor Centre Assistants
BG = Big Garden Officer
GMT = Grounds Maintenance Team
CCVR = Colchester Countryside Volunteer Rangers
CDO = Community Development Officer
MONTH
SEASON
YEAR
LEAD
OFFICER
ITEM
Administer volunteer application forms
Ongoing
CR
Carry out four volunteer induction training sessions
13/2/16
28/05/16
13/08/16
CR
12/11/16
HUMAN RESOURCES
Carry out volunteer tree care training (if required)
Winter
CR
Carry out volunteer driver training (if required)
Ongoing
CR
Devise volunteer rotas (6 monthly)
Ongoing
CR
Recruit and train Visitor Centre volunteers
Ongoing
VC
Recruit and train Health Walk volunteers
Ongoing
VC
Support officers through performance management
Apr/May
CPM
Compile/update volunteer policy.
Summer
CPM
Record visitor no’s
Ongoing
VC
Evaluate feedback from educational users
Ongoing
VC
Collate Quantified statistics
Monthly
VC
Collate FSC statistics from external users
Monthly
VC
Survey / record skylark, white admiral, grass snake & common lizard
Summer
CR
April
CPM
Apr-Sep
CPM
Winter
CR
Maintain and monitor Ocean’s toilet cleaning contract
Ongoing
VC/CPM
Monitor grounds maintenance contract work, ensure it is carried out
and to correct standard
Ongoing
CPM
Raise variation order for additional waste bins
Ongoing
CPM
Commission alarm response and mobile patrols service
CONTRACT
MANAGEMENT
Work with Oakpark Security to ensure patrols and reports meet correct
standard
Work with EssexArb Ltd on woodland management requirements
Liaise with Natural England HLS Advisor re agri-environment options.
CONTRACT
MANAGEMENT
April
CPM
Cancel Farm Business Tenancy
Spring
CPM
Make enquiries re graziers
Spring
CPM
Seek revenue & capital funding for ‘Plot to Plate’ development and
continuation of BIG Garden
Ongoing
BG
Ensure that recreational businesses using the park for commercial
purposes have a permit and are regularly invoiced
Ongoing
CPM
Carry out Visitor Centre H&S inspections
Monthly
VC
Improve Visitor Centre frontage
Autumn
VC
Autumn/Winter
CR
Autumn/Winter
CR
Liase with Legal Services to draft byelaws or Park Protection Orders
Ongoing
CPM
Process memorial applications for benches only (no more memorial
trees to be planted)
Ongoing
CR
Carry out tools, equipment and stock inventory. Replace damaged &
out-of-date as required
Spring
CR
Ongoing
CR
Sept
CR
Litter pick
Ongoing
All
Inspect & litter pick play zone daily before 10am
Ongoing
CR
Carry out and record inspection of play equipment
Weekly
CR
Clean/litter pick public area of Visitor Centre, car park and environs
Ongoing
VCA
Check & repair pot holes, Chanterelle car park
Summer
CR
Arrange hire/empty skips
Ongoing
CR
Winter
CR
Ongoing
CR
Visual inspection of trees on main path sides, outdoor classrooms &
boundaries
Winter
CR
Check all residential boundaries for fly-tipping & encroachment
Winter
CR
Summer
CR
June
CR
Autumn
CR
Improve surfaces of paths G & Q (Fiveways).
Consider additional surfacing

Hollymead entrance

Field View Close entrance

Friars Grove Plantation
FACILITIES / EQUIPMENT / ESTATE MANAGEMENT
Carry out and record patrols daily in line with standards
Seek funding for and implement stabilisation of 40m bankside north
eastern side of the lake.
Arrange servicing of tools & equipment
Maintain park benches & keep database up-to-date.
Review Park signage
Check integrity of stobs & stringers on old section of boardwalk at
Yovone’s Pond. Plan renewal if required
Review directional signage & improve where necessary – north and
east
Clear & treat sycamore in line with Felling License
Ongoing
CR
Restock areas worked in previous winters in line with Felling Licence
Winter
CR
Coppice 1/2 coupes with EssexArb Ltd
Winter
CR
Autumn/ Winter
CR
Maintain open glades
Summer
CR
Flail hedge/ scrub Woodcock Down & Southern Slopes
October
CR
Winter
CR
ASAP
CR
As required
CR
Winter
CCVR
Sept/Oct
CR
15 July - 31
Aug
CR/CPM
Hedges around Old Ley Field, Boat Field, Further Meadow & Farthing
Bottom.
Late summer
CR
Maintain 1m swathe on outside of fence lines by flailing
Late summer
GMT
Same hedges – arrange facing back by contractor as required
Late summer
CR
ASAP
CR
Ongoing
CR
Sept/Oct
CR
October
CR
Sept
CR/TCV
Late summer
CR
Cut bays Chanterelle & Myland Hall Chase
October
GMT
Cut amenity grass areas, path sides and driveways
Per GMC
GMT
Carry out clean up of lake and cut vegetation etc. at overflow before
fishing season begins
May 4
CR
Strim/flail vegetation: Car park bollards, visitor centre, way markers &
cycle path edges, dogs-on-lead bollards, benches
As required
CR
Spring
CR
Scrub/tree management (Extension land) for access & wildlife in line
with Felling Licence
Manage scrub in lizard area Woodcock Down, some trees in area to be
felled in line with felling licence
Complete tree work priorities from Woodland Tree surveys and path
side & boundary inspections
Arrange external resurvey of priority zones
Carry out remedial tree work
Lay/coppice c50m hedgerow – Old Ley Field
Arrange cut and clear Parkland of tall grassland (west of lake)
LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT
Seek new farm contractor / grazing arrangement if possible to:


Cut hay on Southern Slopes. Woodcock Down & 50% of
Squirrels Field
Graze Boat Filed or Old Ley or Slipe /Further Meadow / Fathing
Bottom, leaving one field / area ungrazed.
Inspect fence lines/posts Boat Field, Old Ley Field, Farthing Bottom etc.
and repair as required
Monitor & manage heather areas
Yovone’s Pond 
Remove nutall’s pond weed & stonecrop

Fail vegetation on pond bankside in rotation
Cut & remove 300m2 veg Turner Rise pond
Clear reedmace at Marsh and clear stream in flow
Arrange GMT to cut Brinkley Grove path sides (and other paths etc.)
Maintain/ repair etc. fishing platforms as required
FINANCIAL
Maintain budget to actual worksheets
Ongoing
CPM &
originators
Work with Procurement colleagues to deliver value for money
Ongoing
All
Receipt & pay invoices promptly
Weekly
CPM
Receipt Grounds Maintenance Contract invoices
Monthly
CPM
Monitor spend and income
Monthly
CPM
Review car parking income and charges
Monthly
CPM
Raise invoices for tenant and commercial recreational users
30 June
CPM
Prepare Country Park budget for 2017/18
October
CPM
Review, prepare, agree and publish 2017/18 fees and charges
Arrange and supervise work experience students (max of 4 weeks in
total)
Winter
Ongoing
All
August
CR
Provide preventative and secondary health care and volunteer sessions
in the BIG Garden
Ongoing
BG
Provide approximately 50 Health Walks for over 50s
Ongoing
VOLS
Provide, lead and enable 1,500+ volunteer days
Ongoing
All
Provide environmental education for approximately 3,000 students
Ongoing
VCO
Provide a programme of park activities and events for 1,000 visitors
Ongoing
All
Support community events and visits by 25 community groups
Ongoing
All
Support St Helena Hospice with Bubble Rush
Ongoing
CR
Review & update park’s web pages
Ongoing
CPM/CDO
Maintain Green Flag Award accreditation
Summer
CPM
Improve position / visibility of flag pole
Autumn
CR
Submit Green Flag Award application for 2017/18
Winter
CDO
Maintain Country Park accreditation
Ongoing
CPM/CDO
Review park management plan & draft new
Ongoing
CPM
Spring/ Summer
CR
March
CPM
Review educational session plans and complete as required
Ongoing
VCO
Promote environmental education
Ongoing
VCO
Feb 17
CR / VCO
April/May
CPM
Winter
CR
Ongoing
VCO
Arrange and supervise Young Rangers Club
VISITOR SERVICES
PLANNING & MARKETING
Publicise wildlife trail app once it is available on Applestore
Prepare, agree and circulate Action Plan for 2017/18
Produce & distribute Countryside Events literature 2017/18
Review administration of fishing permits
Review fishing rules and update lake signage
Reply to TripAdvisor comments