People visiting Castle Park, enjoying local parks and open spaces or living on Colchester Borough Homes estates, will start to see a new name maintaining the city's green spaces from 1 November, as council-owned company Amphora takes over the grounds maintenance service.
For residents, the day-to-day service will continue to include grass cutting, maintaining parks and open spaces, caring for cemeteries and the Crematorium, and looking after green spaces around housing estates. The most noticeable changes at first will be Amphora-branded vehicles and uniforms replacing those of the previous provider.
The move to Amphora is expected to generate financial savings compared with the previous delivery model, enabling the council to make better use of its resources while continuing to maintain Colchester’s parks and open spaces for residents.
What residents will notice
The grounds maintenance team looks after parks, open spaces, sports grounds, housing land, cemeteries and the Crematorium across Colchester. For Colchester Borough Homes tenants, Amphora will now be responsible for maintaining green spaces around their homes.
The grounds maintenance team looks after parks, open spaces, sports grounds, housing land, cemeteries and the Crematorium across Colchester. For Colchester Borough Homes tenants, Amphora will now be responsible for maintaining green spaces around their homes.
The service manages almost 13,000 assets across more than 870 hectares of land, from award-winning parks to neighbourhood green spaces used by residents every day.
While Amphora-branded uniforms and vehicles will be a visible change, residents should continue to see the city's parks, open spaces and green areas maintained as normal. Key locations including Castle Park, the Crematorium and important gateway sites across Colchester will remain priorities.
Keeping more value in Colchester
The transfer forms part of the council's Fit for the Future programme, which is transforming how services are delivered in response to significant financial pressures. Amphora was identified as the lowest-cost option considered for grounds maintenance, while also allowing the service to remain within the wider council family.
The transfer forms part of the council's Fit for the Future programme, which is transforming how services are delivered in response to significant financial pressures. Amphora was identified as the lowest-cost option considered for grounds maintenance, while also allowing the service to remain within the wider council family.
Alistair Wilson, Senior Commercial Manager at Amphora, said: “We’re proud to be taking on the grounds maintenance service and looking after the parks, green spaces and neighbourhoods that are such an important part of Colchester. From day one, residents will benefit from an experienced team with a wealth of local knowledge, now working as part of Amphora.
“This is also an opportunity to build on that experience and look at new, more efficient and sustainable ways of working, while keeping the places residents value most at the heart of the service.”
Councillor Martin Goss, Portfolio Holder for Waste, Leisure and Neighbourhoods, said: "Residents want attractive parks, well-maintained green spaces and good value for money, and that's exactly what this new arrangement is designed to deliver.
"While people will notice new uniforms and vehicles, the real benefit is that the service is now being delivered by a company wholly owned by the council. That means we can work more closely together, respond to local priorities and ensure any efficiencies are reinvested for the benefit of Colchester residents."
Unlike an external contractor, Amphora is wholly owned by Colchester City Council. Any efficiencies generated through the service can therefore be reinvested into local services rather than leaving the area. The new model also provides greater flexibility to respond to local needs and creates opportunities to generate additional income that can help support services in the future.
Looking after the places that matter most
The move will help the council protect valued green spaces while managing ongoing financial pressures. It also creates opportunities to develop the service over time, including supporting biodiversity and finding new ways to care for parks and open spaces.
The move will help the council protect valued green spaces while managing ongoing financial pressures. It also creates opportunities to develop the service over time, including supporting biodiversity and finding new ways to care for parks and open spaces.
Around 40 Idverde employees have transferred into Amphora as part of the move, helping to retain local knowledge and experience within the service as it enters its next chapter.