Agenda item

This Council recognises the enormous environmental benefit of a large tree-planting programme. As well as providing a vital contribution to carbon capture and storage, tree planting plays an important role in improving biodiversity and making Leeds a cleaner, greener city to live in.

 

Council supports the aim to plant 50 hectares of woodland on council land every year until 2045, adding 5.6 million trees to the 1,400 hectares of woodland that it already manages.

 

In light of the scale of this tree planting ambition, however, Council believes it is time for the administration to rethink its approach to tree maintenance in the city. Too often, the concerns of local people living near woodland or residential trees are overlooked, whilst unmaintained and overgrown trees are allowed to continue to have an adverse effect, due to a combination of inflexible policy, lack of staff, and insufficient resources.

 

Council believes it would be irresponsible to make this situation worse by failing to adequately resource the Forestry Service so that it can meet the tree maintenance demands of existing trees and the millions of new trees due to be planted over the coming years.

 

Council calls for a report to Executive Board setting out options for a review of policy and resources in this area, to include input from scrutiny, and to be guided by the following key principles:

 

1.  “Quality of life” of residents, including loss of light complaints, to be given greater emphasis in deciding how tree work is planned and prioritised;

 

2.  Sufficient resources to be allocated to Forestry such that a greater range and higher volume of work can be carried out more quickly;

 

3.  Consultation to take place with local ward councillors and communities over the nature and location of tree planting initiatives to ensure future problems are avoided.

 

It was moved by Councillor Robinson, seconded by Councillor Cohen that this Council recognises the enormous environmental benefit of a large tree-planting programme. As well as providing a vital contribution to carbon capture and storage, tree planting plays an important role in improving biodiversity and making Leeds a cleaner, greener city to live in.

 

Council supports the aim to plant 50 hectares of woodland on council land every year until 2045, adding 5.6 million trees to the 1,400 hectares of woodland that it already manages.

 

In light of the scale of this tree planting ambition, however, Council believes it is time for the administration to rethink its approach to tree maintenance in the city. Too often, the concerns of local people living near woodland or residential trees are overlooked, whilst unmaintained and overgrown trees are allowed to continue to have an adverse effect, due to a combination of inflexible policy, lack of staff, and insufficient resources.

 

Council believes it would be irresponsible to make this situation worse by failing to adequately resource the Forestry Service so that it can meet the tree maintenance demands of existing trees and the millions of new trees due to be planted over the coming years.

 

Council calls for a report to Executive Board setting out options for a review of policy and resources in this area, to include input from scrutiny, and to be guided by the following key principles:

 

1.  “Quality of life” of residents, including loss of light complaints, to be given greater emphasis in deciding how tree work is planned and prioritised;

 

2.  Sufficient resources to be allocated to Forestry such that a greater range and higher volume of work can be carried out more quickly;

 

3.  Consultation to take place with local ward councillors and communities over the nature and location of tree planting initiatives to ensure future problems are avoided.

 

An amendment was moved by Councillor Golton, seconded by Councillor Lay

 

In paragraph 5, delete all after “…setting out” and replace with:

 

“….proposals for the creation of a Leeds Tree Strategy to build a stronger partnership between the Council and communities that will guarantee a minimum standard of maintenance residents can expect from the Council, and a commitment to enabling residents to take control of their local environment.

This will also include a commitment to fund a team of arboriculturalists to proactively focus on getting our street trees back to a manageable condition, skilling up our current parks staff to do more tree works within our parks themselves, and work with WYCA and local colleges to ensure that forestry management is promoted as a growth area for the new green economy.”

 

The amended White Paper will then read:

 

“This Council recognises the enormous environmental benefit of a large tree-planting programme. As well as providing a vital contribution to carbon capture and storage, tree planting plays an important role in improving biodiversity and making Leeds a cleaner, greener city to live in.

 

Council supports the aim to plant 50 hectares of woodland on council land every year until 2045, adding 5.6 million trees to the 1,400 hectares of woodland that it already manages.

 

In light of the scale of this tree planting ambition, however, Council believes it is time for the administration to rethink its approach to tree maintenance in the city. Too often, the concerns of local people living near woodland or residential trees are overlooked, whilst unmaintained and overgrown trees are allowed to continue to have an adverse effect, due to a combination of inflexible policy, lack of staff, and insufficient resources.

 

Council believes it would be irresponsible to make this situation worse by failing to adequately resource the Forestry Service so that it can meet the tree maintenance demands of existing trees and the millions of new trees due to be planted over the coming years.

 

Council calls for a report to Executive Board setting out proposals for the creation of a Leeds Tree Strategy to build a stronger partnership between the Council and communities that will guarantee a minimum standard of maintenance residents can expect from the Council, and a commitment to enabling residents to take control of their local environment.

This will also include a commitment to fund a team of arboriculturalists to proactively focus on getting our street trees back to a manageable condition, skilling up our current parks staff to do more tree works within our parks themselves, and work with WYCA and local colleges to ensure that forestry management is promoted as a growth area for the new green economy.”

 

A second amendment was moved by Councillor Forsaith, seconded by Councillor A Blackburn

 

Delete all after the second paragraph and insert:

 

“Council recognises, however, that the climate and ecological benefits of trees planted today will not return those benefits for several decades and cannot therefore be considered as an alternative response to the drastic cuts in carbon emissions needed if Leeds is to achieve its 2030 zero carbon target.

 

Furthermore, Council recognises that mature established trees provide for the most carbon capture and storage, greatest biodiversity and greatest environmental and emotional benefits, and therefore no tree should be removed simply for ‘quality of life’ considerations unless there is an established risk to life and property in which circumstance tree surgery or removal should be considered.

 

Council endorses the key role of the Forestry Service in meeting the tree maintenance demands of existing trees and the millions of new trees due to be planted over the coming years, which will require additional funding.

 

Council calls for a report to go to the Executive Board setting out options to make sure sufficient resources are allocated to Forestry so the volume of maintenance work can be carried out.”

 

 

So that the motion reads:

 

“This Council recognises the enormous environmental benefit of a large tree-planting programme. As well as providing a vital contribution to carbon capture and storage, tree planting plays an important role in improving biodiversity and making Leeds a cleaner, greener city to live in.

 

Council supports the aim to plant 50 hectares of woodland on council land every year until 2045, adding 5.6 million trees to the 1,400 hectares of woodland that it already manages.

 

Council recognises, however, that the climate and ecological benefits of trees planted today will not return those benefits for several decades and cannot therefore be considered as an alternative response to the drastic cuts in carbon emissions needed if Leeds is to achieve its 2030 zero carbon target.

 

Furthermore, Council recognises that mature established trees provide for the most carbon capture and storage, greatest biodiversity and greatest environmental and emotional benefits, and therefore no tree should be removed simply for ‘quality of life’ considerations unless there is an established risk to life and property in which circumstance tree surgery or removal should be considered.

 

Council endorses the key role of the Forestry Service in meeting the tree maintenance demands of existing trees and the millions of new trees due to be planted over the coming years, which will require additional funding.

 

Council calls for a report to go to the Executive Board setting out options to make sure sufficient resources are allocated to Forestry so the volume of maintenance work can be carried out.”

 

A third amendment was moved by Councillor Arif, seconded by Councillor Smart

 

Delete All after the second paragraph and replace with: “Council supports further work with the forestry service to enable the effective management of the increased number of trees in communities in Leeds. Council welcomes the input of all members on the approach to tree management, and notes that Scrutiny Board (Environment, Housing and Communities) considered the Council’s tree management policy at its November 2021, as well as a Remote Working Group meeting in January 2022.

 

Council notes Government cuts to council funding have reduced the budget for Parks and Countryside by over 50% in the last 10 years and calls on Government to allocate greater financial support to councils so that Parks and Countryside departments and tree management services can be adequately funded.”

 

Amended motion will read:

 

“This Council recognises the enormous environmental benefit of a large tree-planting programme. As well as providing a vital contribution to carbon capture and storage, tree planting plays an important role in improving biodiversity and making Leeds a cleaner, greener city to live in.

 

Council supports the aim to plant 50 hectares of woodland on council land every year until 2045, adding 5.6 million trees to the 1,400 hectares of woodland that it already manages.

 

Council supports further work with the forestry service to enable the effective management of the increased number of trees in communities in Leeds. Council welcomes the input of all members on the approach to tree management, and notes that Scrutiny Board (Environment, Housing and Communities) considered the Council’s tree management policy at its November 2021, as well as a Remote Working Group meeting in January 2022.

 

Council notes Government cuts to council funding have reduced the budget for Parks and Countryside by over 50% in the last 10 years and calls on Government to allocate greater financial support to councils so that Parks and Countryside departments and tree management services can be adequately funded.”

 

The amendments in the name of Councillor Golton and Councillor Forsaith were declared lost the amendment in the name of Councillor Arif was carried and upon being put to the vote it was

 

RESOLVED – That this Council recognises the enormous environmental benefit of a large tree-planting programme. As well as providing a vital contribution to carbon capture and storage, tree planting plays an important role in improving biodiversity and making Leeds a cleaner, greener city to live in.

 

Council supports the aim to plant 50 hectares of woodland on council land every year until 2045, adding 5.6 million trees to the 1,400 hectares of woodland that it already manages.

 

Council supports further work with the forestry service to enable the effective management of the increased number of trees in communities in Leeds. Council welcomes the input of all members on the approach to tree management, and notes that Scrutiny Board (Environment, Housing and Communities) considered the Council’s tree management policy at its November 2021, as well as a Remote Working Group meeting in January 2022.

 

Council notes Government cuts to council funding have reduced the budget for Parks and Countryside by over 50% in the last 10 years and calls on Government to allocate greater financial support to councils so that Parks and Countryside departments and tree management services can be adequately funded.

 

 

At the conclusion for this item Council adjourned from 18.40 to 18.50.