Issue - meetings

This report outlines a proposed new scheme to allow for the planting of new trees within the public highway, funded from public subscription. The Committee is asked to agree to the establishment of a new scheme and the proposed rates.

The Committee:

(1)          Agreed to establish a Street Tree Planting Scheme on the basis that this would be at nil cost to the Council;

(2)          Authorised the Head of Place Development to make the necessary arrangements including the procurement of the requisite administrative resource to support the scheme;

(3)          Noted that the scheme would commence as soon as reasonably practicable following the appointment of the administrative support but that no definitive start date could be given;

(4)          Noted that the unit cost of £250 per tree would be adopted for any planting carried out in the remainder of the financial year and for the 2018/19 financial year, the rate to be subject to review in subsequent years as part of the annual review of fees and charges.

The Committee received and considered a report setting out the proposed introduction of a scheme for tree planting on the public highway funded by public subscription.

The proposals were being put forward following the termination of the agency agreement with Surrey County Council, which, until March 2017, had allowed for the maintenance of street trees and the planting of new street trees by this Council on behalf of the County Council.

Under the proposed new scheme, this Council would continue to facilitate a cost-neutral programme of new tree planting on the highway, helping to ensure that the Borough remained green and tree cover maintained (a much-valued feature of the Borough).  By procuring the work with the consent of the County Council, this Council would be able to control the replenishment, and enhancement, of the street tree stock in the Borough, something that was not of high priority to the County Council.

It was anticipated that there would be public support for the scheme and therefore a steady stream of work/income generated but this could not be guaranteed. In order for the scheme to remain cost neutral, the hours of the administrator would need to be flexible to meet demand. It was therefore proposed that the administrative resource necessary might initially be sought on a secondment basis.  The Tree Advisory Board had been actively seeking donations towards the scheme and the willingness to donate or donations from other sources might well be enhanced by having an approved scheme in place.

It was noted that dead trees would no longer be completely removed and would be cut down to a metre in height – so as not to present a trip hazard – and left. Stump removal had not currently been factored into the costs of the scheme, which further supported the case for an initial uniform unit cost of £250 per tree which would be subject to review (it was not intended in the long term to so anything other than cover the costs of the scheme).

Accordingly, having requested that its appreciation of the work undertaken by the Tree Advisory Board be recorded, the Committee:

(1)          Agreed to establish a Street Tree Planting Scheme on the basis that this would be at nil cost to the Council;

(2)          Authorised the Head of Place Development to make the necessary arrangements including the procurement of the requisite administrative resource to support the scheme;

(3)          Noted that the scheme would commence as soon as reasonably practicable following the appointment of the administrative support but that no definitive start date could be given;

(4)          Noted that the unit cost of £250 per tree would be adopted for any planting carried out in the remainder of the financial year and for the 2018/19 financial year, the rate to be subject to review in subsequent years as part of the annual review of fees and charges.