How our parks are managed

We are responsible for the upkeep and development of over 60 parks and green spaces in the borough.

We also manage:

• four nature conservation areas
• two allotment sites
• fountains and water features
• various monuments
• five churchyards
• historic listed buildings, parks and gardens
• street and park trees
• verges and roundabouts.

Who looks after Lambeth's parks?

We employ contractors, Veolia ES Lambeth, to look after parks on our behalf. Veolia are responsible for:

• general maintenance – cutting grass, and maintaining flower beds and bedding displays
• removing and installing football posts, and marking out and maintaining pitches
• removing litter, dog fouling and graffiti
• small tree care.

Lambeth's parks and green spaces are managed and maintained around three areas (North, Central and South); a dedicated parks officer is responsible for each area.

The Area Parks Officers regularly inspect all the parks and greenspaces in their area to ensure contract standards are being met, and faults are reported and scheduled for repair.

Our services

• We currently manage two allotment sites in Brixton and Streatham; you need to register your name with us in order to be eligible for a site.
• We are responsible for the upkeep and development, including grass cutting, tree care and shrub pruning, of over 64 parks and green spaces, and aim to maintain all sites to nationally recognised standards of cleanliness and horticultural quality.
• We look after 34 children's play areas and eight paddling pools.
• We maintain the borough's trees.

Our service standards

• We remove litter and empty bins, in accordance with the Environmental Protection Act 1990: Code of Practice (Litter)
• Seasonal flower displays, herbaceous plants and bulbs, shrubs, climbers and hedges and rose beds are maintained weed-free at all times, using manual cultivation practices
• We carry out daily inspections of children's play areas by 9.00 am to ensure they are safe to open
• We carry out a thorough documented safety inspection every week on each of the play areas
• We sweep and clean all paved areas in accordance with the Environmental Protection Act 1990
• All fenced parks (excluding Ruskin Park which opens earlier) are opened by 7.30 am each morning
• All fenced parks are normally closed within 15 minutes of sunset.

Protecting the environment

We are trying to make our parks sustainable so that future generations can enjoy them.

We are reducing the use of chemicals in our parks and greenspaces, and using natural composting materials as weed suppressants; we are also recycling green and other wastes where this is possible.

Verges

We look after 64 verges ensuring the grass is cut and they are clean and safe.

There are many verges in Lambeth, some of which are looked after by Transport for London (if on a Red Route) and others which are privately managed. We are not responsible for fixtures and fittings (including kerbs, bollards and signs) on any verges - please contact Lambeth Service Centre to report any problems with such features.