Agenda item

Tree Management & Care Policy

Decision:

RESOLVED

KEY DECISION

That the Executive agreed the Tree Management & Care Policy at Appendix A to the report

Reasons for Recommendation:

· A harmonised policy will offer one consistent approach to tree management across the council.

· A harmonised policy will minimise current issues with different approaches to requests for work and enable the Council to meet its duty of care, legal and health and safety obligations.

· The policy provides the basis for unifying the varying practices adopted by the legacy councils.

· The policy supports the Council’s key commitments to a greener, sustainable environment and the council’s obligations under the Environment Act 2021, which includes provisions to strengthen and improve the duty on public bodies to conserve and enhance biodiversity and to produce a Local Nature Recovery Strategy by the end of 2023.

· The council receives many queries from the public about its trees and there is a wide range of expectations about the council’s responsibilities. The policy provides a clear statement to residents of how the council is seeking to manage its trees and a sound basis for officers to respond to queries.

· The policy provides a foundation on which to develop a wider, comprehensive tree strategy which will include aspirational targets for planting and woodland expansion.

Alternative Options Considered: The only other option is to not have clear policies for tree care and management, delaying harmonisation of working practices and fragmented Policies across the separate service areas. This is not an option that can continue to be maintained effectively over time.

The option to not to have a Council wide tree policy and to continue with management under existing practices and policies has been discounted in favour of harmonising working practices and Policies as soon as possible, clearly establishing consistent guiding principles for the care and management of trees for North Northamptonshire Council and improving the service.

Minutes:

The Chair again invited Lee Forster to address the meeting. Mr Forster queried why two waste incinerators had been approved for operation in the local area, noting that Council work to decarbonise would be for nothing if the issue of incinerated waste was not challenged.

Cllr Anne Lee was then invited to address the Executive. Cllr Lee was concerned regarding the one-for-one tree replacement ratio, noting that newly planted saplings absorbed significantly less carbon dioxide than mature trees and that the Council should be planting trees now to offset the loss of ones in the future. Cllr Lee requested an update on tree coverage in North Northamptonshire and progress made to improve this.

The Chair then invited Cllr Dorothy Maxwell to speak. Cllr Maxwell welcomed the report and stated that housing developments should submit a tree planting plan as part of the planning application process. Cllr Maxwell requested the publication of a timetable and map detailing the Council’s tree-related plans.

The final speaker invited to address the meeting was Cllr Lyn Buckingham. Cllr Buckingham stated that although she welcomed the report that would form part of the Council’s long-term aims, there was no provision within the policy relating to hedgerows which provided useful travel corridors and habitats for wildlife.

The Chair thanked all of the speakers for their contributions before introducing a report that sought approval of a Tree Management and Care Policy for North Northamptonshire.

The Chair stated that climate change could not be solved simply by planting trees and that a holistic approach to carbon reduction and sequestration was required. Removal of trees was not something the Council wished to do without good reason, and removals would be considered on a case-by-case basis moving forward. The Chair acknowledged the points raised in relation to hedgerows and planning considerations and would raise these with officers outside of the meeting.

It was heard that the Council was responsible forthousands of trees and had the ability to utilise trees and green space to enhance the environment and support climate change mitigations. A tree working group would convene to share best practice across the authority and provide a consistent approach in managing trees. The proposed policy struck a balance between tree work while providing safeguarding and sustainability for trees and woodland.