“T H White is a very good dealer, but we expect that! Their parts support is good and there has been a significant improvement in the after sales side from Ransomes Jacobsen, with most major items readily available. It’s definitely going in the right direction, but like all manufacturers, they can’t afford to become complacent.

“Our policy here is to run rotary machines on open spaces in housing areas because we feel that they cope better with longer grass and wet grass. They also require less maintenance and the cutting decks are more robust than cylinders. We aim to maintain a max sward depth of 75mm and we believe that these rotaries can give us this, without compromising the finish. ”

Mike Tresise, Stores Supervisor at the Council’s main workshop at The Town Depot in Albert Road, said: “We have three experienced mechanics working within a dedicated grounds care equipment workshop. We have parts delivery direct from the Ransomes Jacobsen’s Ipswich factory or from
T H White’s Reading depot almost every day. There’s a good team ethic in both companies and they are very helpful from a technical aspect. Our technicians speak direct to Chris Jones and his team at the Reading depot and most technical issues are resolved over the phone.”

Des Legg is Principal Open Spaces Officer at Southampton City Council. He is responsible for ensuring that plant and machinery resources, used on ground care operations carried out by the council’s staff, are procured and used efficiently to obtain the best results for the city’s residents.

The Council have been users of Ransomes equipment for a number of years, but the mowing fleet is not exclusive to the Ipswich-based manufacturer as Des explains: “Since the end of the CCT we have to look at the overall package; not just the purchase price, but also the service and after sales support we can expect from the supplying dealer. We always have extensive trials and demonstrations of the various manufacturers’ equipment with selection based on current and historical knowledge plus staff involvement during evaluation.