COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
Monday, July 14, 2014
QUESTION NO. 26
QUESTION: Councillor C. King
To ask the Chief Executive to provide details of the sale of equipment and items from Grangecastle Golf Club including tractors, top-loaders, chainsaws and everything else that was sold. That the Manager details the amount of monies received as part of the sale, itemises the exact cost of the items price when purchased originally, was the sale of these items part of a tender process and have or will the public realm section require to purchase any of these items for their general service delivery in the near future or since the sale and can the Manager make a statement on the matter.
REPLY:
The operation, management and maintenance of Grange Castle Golf Course was put out to tender in 2013. Golf course maintenance machinery is designed, manufactured and utilised to achieve the exacting standards of finish required for the game. Golf course maintenance machinery is not designed for, nor is it suitable for use in routine open space maintenance works. The Council purchases and uses machinery specifically designed for the robust environment of open space maintenance which is entirely different to that found in the golf course.
The grass cutting machinery is designed to very fine tolerances with grass cutting heights, for example, set in millimetres. The settings for these machines are sensitive and would not be able to cope with the typical ground conditions found in the public realm. The tractors on the golf course are smaller lower powered machines when compared to the tractors used in general public realm maintenance. They would not be capable of pulling the larger mowing units and trailers which are routinely used. The tractors are also fitted with balloon tyres which are designed to minimise compaction and ground pressure. These tyres are specifically designed for use on grass and would wear at an excessive rate, if driven on roads.
As the tender for the golf course included for the maintenance of the course, the tender documentation invited financial offers for the golf course maintenance machinery as this would be surplus to requirements. A number of offers were received from tenderers and negotiations were held with the successful company. The table below sets out the list of machinery that was in the golf course which was sold and also and indicates those machines which the Council retained where they could be utilised in the public realm.
For example, the newest tractor, the 08D New Holland TC45D was retained for use in Tallaght Stadium, where a similar fine finish is required.
| Machine Description | Reg / ID | Make/Model | Sold / not sold | Reason |
| Bunker Rake | BR 2/07 | John Deere 1200A | Sold | Golf course specific |
| Chainsaw | CS 129/09 | Stihl MS 200T | Sold | Required for golf course |
| Chainsaw | CS 130/09 | Stihl MS 310 | Retained | Public realm |
| Chainsaw | CS 48/00 | Stihl 020 T | Sold | Required for golf course |
| Chainsaw | CS 50/01 | Stihl HT 75 High pruner | Retained | Public realm |
| Chainsaw | CS 61/03 | Stihl MS 240 | Sold | Required for golf course |
| Fertiliser spreader | PFS 3/03 | Cosmo 600 | Sold | Required for golf course |
| Greens Iron | 2010 | Sold | Golf course specific | |
| Hedgetrimmer | HT 12/03 | Stihl HS 80 | Retained | Public realm |
| Leaf blower (Pedestrian) | PLB 29-13 | Stihl BR 420 | Sold | Required for golf course |
| Leaf blower (Tractor type) | PTLB 1/03 | Agri metal BW360 | Sold | Required for golf course |
| Mowers Pedestrian type | PPM 10 | John Deere | Sold | Golf course specific |
| Mowers Pedestrian type | PPM 11 | John Deere | Sold | Golf course specific |
| Mowers Pedestrian type | PPM 28/01 | John Deere 220A | Sold | Golf course specific |
| Mowers Pedestrian type | PPM 29/01 | John Deere 220A | Sold | Golf course specific |
| Mowers Pedestrian type | PPM 30/01 | John Deere 220A | Sold | Golf course specific |
| Mowers Ride-on type (Golf) | EK 31-02 | John Deere 1445 62 in | Sold | Golf course specific |
| Mowers Ride-on type (Golf) | EK 4 | Kubota B2100 | Sold | Golf course specific |
| Mowers Ride-on type (Golf) | EK 43-04 | John Deere 2500 A triplex | Sold | Golf course specific |
| Mowers Ride-on type (Golf) | GCJ 4-05 | Jacobsen LF3800 P.U. CAB | Sold | Golf course specific |
| Mowers Ride-on type (Golf) | GCJ 5-05 | Jacobsen LF3800 P.U. CAB | Sold | Golf course specific |
| Mowers Ride-on type (Golf) | GCJD 1-07 | John Deere 2653 B | Sold | Golf course specific |
| Mowers Ride-on type (Golf) | GCJD 2-07 | John Deere 2653 B | Sold | Golf course specific |
| Mowers Ride-on type (Golf) | GCJD 3-08 | John Deere 2500 B triplex | Sold | Golf course specific |
| Mowers Ride-on type (Golf) | GCK 47-05 | Toro GM 3500 D Triplex | Sold | Golf course specific |
| Mowers Roller type (Golf Small) | PTM 113/08 | Sitrex SM4500 | Retained | Public realm |
| Mowers Roller type (Golf Small) | PTM 45/00 | Major Groundsman 8,400 | Sold | Golf course specific |
| Mowers Roller type (Golf Small) | PTM 84/04 | Sitrex SM4500 | Sold | Golf course specific |
| Muli Core unit | GMC 4/05 | John Deere AERCORE 1500 | Sold | Golf course specific |
| Muli Core unit | GMC 5/06 | Redixim Charterhouse 7521 | Sold | Required for golf course |
| Pile driver (Hydraulic) | PPD 2/05 | Cross PD | Retained | Public realm |
| Slitter | GMS 1 | Sisis Slitter | Sold | Required for golf course |
| Slitter | GMS 2 | Fairway slitter | Retained | Public realm |
| Slitter | GMS 3/07 | McConnell Pasturater 3 mt | Sold | Required for golf course |
| Slurry tank | PST 08/06 | Ruscon 1,600 tank | Sold | Required for golf course |
| Sprayer | PTS 10/03 | Hardi model 600 litre | Sold | Required for golf course |
| Sprayer | PTS 13/08 | Hardi 400 L Manx | Retained | Public realm |
| Sprayer | PTS 3 | Hardi sprayer | Sold | Required for golf course |
| Spreader | PFS 2 | Amazone spreader | Retained | Stadium/public realm |
| Strimmer-Weedeater | WE 15 | Stihl Weedeater | Retained | Public realm |
| Strimmer-Weedeater | WE 16 | Stihl Weedeater | Retained | Public realm |
| Tractor (Golf) | 03D 30701 | Deutz-Fahr Agrokid 45 | Sold | Required for golf course |
| Tractor (Golf) | 05D 38542 | Agroplus 70 | Sold | Required for golf course |
| Tractor (Golf) | 05D 78445 | Agroplus 70 | Sold | Required for golf course |
| Tractor (Golf) | 08D 44343 | New Holland TC45D - A | Retained | Stadium/public realm |
| Tractor (Golf) | 97D 72301 | Massey Ferguson 390 | Sold | Required for golf course |
| Trailer Kubota type | PKT 3/11 | Fleming 2 ton trailer | Sold | Required for golf course |
| Trailers Tractor type | PTT 41/01 | SLS Engineering 6 Tonne | Sold | Required for golf course |
| Trailers Tractor type | PTT 61/05 | Ultrahl 40 high tip | Sold | Required for golf course |
| Trailers Van type | PVT 41/08 | Bateson model 2025 | Sold | Required for golf course |
| Utility vehicle | PUV 001-02 | John Deere Gator | Sold | Golf course specific |
| Utility vehicle | PUV 003-05 | John Deere Gator | Sold | Golf course specific |
| Utility vehicle | PUV 004-05 | John Deere Gator | Sold | Golf course specific |
| Water pump (portable) | PWP 11/04 | Honda SHE 50X | Retained | Public realm |
| Woodchipper (Tractor) | PTC 4 | Premier 330ZX | Retained | Public realm |
The amount realised by the sale of the machinery was €73,775.00. The value achieved for the machinery was considered reasonable having regard to the age of the equipment, depreciation, (many of the items were over 10 years old), market values at that time and recent prices achieved at auction.
The original machinery purchases go back in some cases to the late 1990's. The original cost of the machinery listed amounts to approximately €600,000. When the value of the machinery retained is extracted, the original value of the machinery sold is approximately €537,000.
The current Public Realm machinery fleet extends to some six hundred and fifty six items of machinery and equipment. This fleet is managed through the Machinery Section and aging machinery and equipment are replaced as part of a lifecycle management programme. In the past two years, four new tractors have been purchased to replace aging machines which were no longer efficient and which were suffering from increasing numbers of breakdowns, leading to increased maintenance and repair costs.
The Public Realm section is adequately resourced with vehicles and machinery, for the reasons outlined above, the sale of the specialised golf course equipment will have no bearing on general service delivery.