Case Studies
Lambeth Homes ALMO
(Arms Length Management Organisation)
Background
Pinnacle PSG won contracts in 2003 to provide ground maintenance services on around half of Lambeth Council’s green spaces on local estates. As a testament to the quality of our work and service delivery, this contract was recently extended and today we are providing services to around 90% of estate green spaces for Lambeth Homes.
In addition, since 2004 we have also provided estate cleaning services on council estates in the Brixton Area and to Tenant Management Organisations across Lambeth and to the Metropolitan Housing Trust.
Working with the community
The environment in an inner-city area like Lambeth is precious and we take great care to deliver our services using 95% biodegradable and recyclable cleaning materials. We also introduced an environment-friendly method of weed control.
Customers also need to be handled with great care and in partnership with our clients we have put in place improved service standards, better communications and contract monitoring. We have also introduced, thorough staff training for safer, hazard-free public areas and provide horticultural advice on issues such as bird nesting, seasonal shrub pruning, shrub and tree diseases and dealing with Japanese knotweed.
Pinnacle PSG is much more than a contractor. We see ourselves as very much part of the community we serve, working closely with local residents on a range of community focussed projects. In Lambeth we sponsor the junior football team at the St. Martin's Estate, organise bulbs planting with local schools, created memorial gardens and introduced allotments and sustainable gardens on local estates.
There is much more to our services than excellent grounds maintenance. We provide void and lumber clearance, garden clearance, playground maintenance and design, landscaping services that include the planning, design and total project management) and planting, grounds maintenance and plants sponsorship in sheltered homes.
Delivering on commitments
We are continuously investing in our staff’s personal development, which is improving our service delivery and expanding the range of services we provide. Our staff can obtain NVQ qualifications in amenity horticulture, chainsaw licences and chemical spraying licenses, which includes quad bike spraying. Having a local workforce is a priority for us throughout our Lambeth contracts, so we are keen to provide opportunities for local work experience.
Through regular service reviews we offer our clients the best possible value for money, achieved through efficient operations and close client relationship. For example, we agreed to undertake additional tasks such as dog bin clearance and fly tipping removal as part of our overall contractual responsibilities. As part of our corporate aim we are introducing sustainability and green initiatives locally. In our office we recycle cartridges, paper, and sort general waste. In our depot we are use solar batteries to light the storage containers and our mechanics team use spare parts to repair machinery. On estates we collect separated green waste which is then recycled at Lambeth’s waste transfer station as well as encouraging sustainable planting.
We had our significant presence at Lambeth Country show in 2009 where we created three gardens - cottage, drought tolerant and a vegetable patch. As well as the garden displays, our staff were also on hand to show young and old alike how to plant and grow their own fruit and vegetables.
Measuring Pinnacle PSG’s success
Cost and efficiency is, of course, what drives our clients, but both they and the communities where we work are keen that their areas should improve. This has led us to take an active part in the annual Lambeth in Bloom competition and in last four years the success has literally been there for all to see: around 90% of all gardens that received an award were maintained or designed by Pinnacle PSG.
