Issue - meetings

Following incorporation of comments from the Services Overview & Scrutiny Committee of the 24^th of November, at Annexe 1 is the final draft of the Council’s Tree and Woodland Policy for approval by Executive.

Recommendation

It is recommended that the Executive approves the Tree and Woodland Policy attached at annexe 1 to the report.

RESOLVED that the Tree and Woodland Policy attached at annexe 1 to the report be approved

Reason: Public, Government and industry awareness of climate change and the fragile state of our environments, locally, nationally and internationally has never been higher or the importance of action so urgent.  Tree planting and appropriate management of existing trees and woodlands owned by the Council are even more important as part of these concerns.  There is therefore a need for a consistent and comprehensive approach to the Council’s tree and woodland management, beyond considering trees solely from a liability perspective.

[Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee]

Councillor Townsend presented the report which set out the draft Tree and Woodland Policy, with a commitment to improving biodiversity and the climate change agenda.  She thanked the officers involved in developing the policy, which would form a suite of environmental policies including a Pesticides Policy and a Biodiversity Policy being developed with assistance from the Surrey Wildlife Trust.  The Policy would ensure more trees were built and that existing trees and hedgerows were maintained to ensure that they captured the maximum amount of carbon.  The three policies would form part of the overarching Greenspaces Strategy. 

The Leader welcomed the report and the importance of maintaining existing tree stock.  Councillor Williams welcomed the report which linked into a range of other policies and strategies, all of which were crucial to responding to the climate emergency.  He thanked the Portfolio Holder and the officer team for their work.

RESOLVED that the Tree and Woodland Policy attached at annexe 1 to the report be approved

Reason: Public, Government and industry awareness of climate change and the fragile state of our environments, locally, nationally and internationally has never been higher or the importance of action so urgent.  Tree planting and appropriate management of existing trees and woodlands owned by the Council are even more important as part of these concerns.  There is therefore a need for a consistent and comprehensive approach to the Council’s tree and woodland management, beyond considering trees solely from a liability perspective.