Local Authority activity has been a significant work component of Sports Turf Consulting activity since first becoming involved in turf management as a branch of amenity horticulture.
The first 4 years of Noel’s work experience was gained at Guildford Borough Council in the early 1980’s on a wide variety of surfaces from local facilities including County Standard bowling and cricket surfaces.
Since 1993 Noel MacKenzie has made many hundreds of Local Authority advisory visits to meet and successfully resolve many issues for his clients. This includes the following areas of activity:
- Maintenance Agronomy Support on bowling greens, tennis courts, cricket tables and outfields, rugby and football pitches.
- Assisting schools under Local Authority Management either directly or through contractors to achieve better standards or address safety concerns.
- Drainage installation including feasibility studies, design and specification of works, contract tender and assessment, contract administration and post construction aftercare and defects liability monitoring.
- Facility Construction from concept to full completion – see construction section for more details.
- Staff training and development as part of the Human Resource development and CPD structure.
- Golf Agronomy Support Services where Local Authorities either operate a golf facility or contract out the maintenance of a facility they own.
- Wildlife enhancement.
- Lawns
- Showground and Event Management and restoration – e.g. county shows, Radio 1 Big Weekend, etc.
Noel’s Client Portfolio is extensive and includes:
Luton Borough Council
Hertsmere Borough Council
Hackney Council
Dacorum Borough Council
Neath and Port Talbot County Borough Council
Carmarthenshire County Council
Newport Town Council
Canterbury City Council
Welwyn Parish Council
Swindon Borough Council
Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead
Uckfield Town Council
Mid Sussex District Council
Portsmouth City Council
Wolverhampton City Council
Shenley Parish Council
Haddenham Parish Council
Reigate and Banstead Council
Quedgley Parish Council
Corby Borough Council
Glyneath Town Council
Newham Council
Oxford City Council
Test Valley Borough Council
Old Basing Parish Council
Hastings Borough Council
Newbury Council
Noel MacKenzie was engaged by us back in 2001 to work on golf course agronomy support at our golf complex for Agronomy support. The course was developed with a 9-hole USGA Academy course which Noel took an active role in overseeing both in construction and grow-in. Noel provided a professional technical input to recruiting our Head Greenkeeper who remained in role for many years working closely with Noel in improving the presentation and playing performance of the course proving this was a really good way to use Noel’s skills and knowledge to make an excellent HR decision much easier. For us Noel MacKenzie has bought additional insight and technical knowledge that gave our course added value and enhanced our product to the public and club player alike resulting in greater income.
Beyond the golf centre Noel was engaged for bowling green, cricket and rugby agronomy support which saw a substantial improvement in the playing quality, especially on our bowling greens. Noel provided insights on market place products improving our inputs and avoiding wastage. He was instrumental in training of staff on bespoke sessions and coaching some of our team and we experienced an increase in performance and motivation within our maintenance team as a result. Noel took time to offer education advice and guide staff with personal encouragement to study and better themselves.
We also engaged Sports Turf Consulting in a number of construction and drainage projects with superb SUDS system installed at one site, Putteridgebury, and a new football pitch at Challney School. A very extensive feasibility project was also undertaken on our behalf which although not seen through on the ground was a strong supportive technical document and exercise.
As a Parks Manager with multiple demands on myself and my team it I have found it a great help to be able to utilise Noel’s expertise and support in so many positive ways to move forward the facilities in our Borough for the enjoyment of all stakeholders. Noel has advanced our in-house team’s knowledge and motivation resulting in improved performance on the ground. I have no hesitation in recommending Noel and Sports Turf Consulting to anyone who has any turf and sportsturf related issues whether routine Agronomy or large construction works, in my experience his skills are of a high professional calibre and yet he remains personally interested with all he works with and takes pride in what he does."
Steve Battlebury
Green Space Manager
Luton Borough Council
Noel MacKenzie has formed successful working relationships with many of his Local Authority clients fulfilling a role providing a specialist sports turf knowledge within their team providing feedback in the management control loop process whether working as DLO or with contractor based structure. Having an Independent Sports Turf Agronomist working alongside or as part of the Parks and Open Spaces Departments helps both contractor and Local Authority officers by providing an unbiased perspective on turf/surface conditions and ensuring recommended works are justified. Inspections also provide quality control of the works on the ground independently helping to reduce management – workforce friction and depoliticising budget decisions with instructions as to what is required on the ground from an outside source.
Construction and drainage works have been overseen by Sports Turf Consulting Ltd. up to a value of £6M where we have worked for a number of Local Authorities providing Feasibility Studies, Design, Specification and Project Management work (including Contract Administration). For further information on Project Management, Construction and Design services please refer to the construction section,
Military Facilities – Noel MacKenzie has operated within Military Facilities usually working on behalf of a Facility Management Contractor or Grounds Maintenance Contractor. For security reasons we do not showcase our work on such sites but like to invite enquiries from such venues.
You may also like to visit the section on our working with Contractors for more information.
For informal enquiries please contact us or call 07739 505862 for an informal discussion.