Purpose

To adopt the Tree Management Strategy 2026-2029, which addresses risk management for trees on Council-owned land and sets out a number of tree management policies.

Decision

Tree Management across the Council had up until now been applied at a service level and had reflected the different approaches of individual services, and legacy councils, with the risk of a disjointed approach overall. Effective tree management delivered significant environmental, social and economic benefits, however, realising these benefits depended on consistency, sustained and focused investment, and an understanding that responsible stewardship carried associated costs.

This Tree Management Strategy (TMS) had been developed to address these issues and set out the Council’s legal obligations, policy statements, clarity on roles and responsibilities, and management proposals. The Strategy would be supported by an Action Plan, which outlined how the Strategy would be implemented and the costs involved. Overall, the Council was currently spending approximately £1.26 million per annum on tree management. Expenditure varies across services and would be reviewed as part of the implementation of the Tree Management Strategy.

RESOLVED that the Tree Management Strategy be adopted.