Agenda item

This report provides background to the pre-decision call-in of the Arboricultural Policy for the Management of Public Trees and Woodland,setting out the reasons for the call-in and inviting the Committee to consider what feedback, if any, it may wish to make.

Members considered a report that provided the background to the pre-decision call-in of the Arboricultural Policy for the Management of Public Trees and Woodland and a report to the Executive Member setting out the draft Arboricultural Policy. Members were asked to consider the reasons for call in together with submissions made and decide if they wished to make any specific comments/recommendations to the Executive Member on the draft policy before he made his decision at a future decision session.

Cllr D’Agorne was in attendance to address the committee to confirm the reasons why he, Cllr Kramm and Cllr Craghill had called in the item for pre-decision scrutiny. He expressed his support for bringing all City of York Council practices together in one clear statement and made the following suggestions:

·        Need to extend to include or cross reference policy for trees on private land where the council had influence or planning control. 

·        Need to add an overarching “policy statement” endorsing the objective of increasing overall tree cover and enhancing diversity of species and age profile, with a process for reviewing progress and setting targets in consultation with interested bodies.

·        Recognition that trees contribute to mitigating climate change and air pollution – suggestion that the council should require 2 semi mature replacement trees for each mature tree felled

·        Inclusion of a supplementary planning document in the Local Plan spelling out objectives for tree cover and a broader Green Infrastructure and Biodiversity Strategy.

·        Promote best practice by utility operators with more proactive training, awareness raising and collaborative working

·        Need to be clear about longer term strategic approach to maintaining and enhancing tree cover and age profile in the city centre and in existing and new developments and amenity areas.

The Council’s Operations Manager – Public Realm (Strategy and Contracts) and Arboricultural Manager welcomed Members’ interest  in the Arboricultural Policy for the Management of Public Trees and Woodland and stressed the importance of having this document published in order that officers could respond effectively to any complaints and enquiries from the public or other organisations. Also so that that councillors had the relevant information to enable them to react to any enquiries from members of the public too. Officers advised that they would look at some of the points raised by Councillors Kramm and D’Agorne from an operational point of view.

Members discussed the report and policy. They acknowledged the need to make the policy as robust as possible without making it  overly prescriptive as this would take away scope for flexibility and could delay the implementation of the policy.

The agreed there was a need for a broader strategy with respect to tree cover, whether this be as part of the Local Plan with a possible Supplementary Planning document or by other means, and called on the Executive Member to take this forward.

With regards to Policy Statement 6 it was suggested that the first bullet point needed clarifying to state that the council would not prune, cut roots or remove trees unless the encroachment was severe and excessive and that the third bullet point should read “maintain” rather than “increase” natural light to show that it required the retention of existing natural light.

Members expressed their broad support for the policy position set out and asked that officers taken account of the specific comments expressed by Cllr Kramm, Cllr D’Agorne and scrutiny members with regard to the draft policy statement and the need for a broader strategy.

Resolved:  (i)      That the committee’s general support for the Arboricultural Policy for the Management of Public Trees and Woodland be noted.

(ii)      That the views put forward by Cllrs Kramm and D’Agorne and scrutiny members during discussion be noted by officers and taken into consideration by the Executive Member when making a decision on the policy.

Reason:      To enable the called-in matter to be dealt with efficiently and in accordance with the new pre-decision call in arrangements.