Cabinet, at its meeting on 12 June 2024, will consider a report from the Executive Director (Development) seeking approval for an updated Tree Management Policy. Cllr Nigel Chapman, Cabinet Member for Citizen Focused Services and Council Companies, Tom Bridgman, Executive Director (Development), Richard Jones, Business Analyst, Chris Leyland, Tree Officer and Tina Mould, Environmental Sustainability Lead have been invited to present the report and answer questions. The Panel is asked to consider the report and agree any recommendations.

Cllr Nigel Chapman, Cabinet Member for Citizen Focused Services and Council Companies introduced the report. The report set out an updated Tree Management Policy which detailed the Council’s policy regarding management of its tree stock and sought to align the Council’s approach to tree management with current standards and good practice.

Tom Bridgman, Executive Director (Development) added that this policy formed part of a wider ongoing piece of work around the Council ensuring it had a clear clienting position with Oxford Direct Services.

In response to questions, the Panel was advised that:

·       The policy aimed to emphasise the need to maintain trees at all costs, however the wording could be reviewed to see if it could be strengthened. Cllr Hunt had some suggested amendments to the wording which would be sent to the Cabinet Member and officers after the meeting.

·       The decision as to whether to grind a tree stump out would be down to the contractor (ODS) on a case-by-case basis; there was not a standard approach set out in the policy.

·       When surveys were undertaken on City Council owned trees, consideration would be given as to the impact of the tree on hard surfaces (e.g. pavements).

·       Replacement trees could not always be planted in the exact same location as trees that had been felled.

·       Trees with a circumference of 16-18cm established more quickly than more mature trees, which was why smaller trees were planted to replace mature trees.

·       Oxford Direct Services was contractually required to care for new trees which it planted.

·       Oxford Direct Services needed to be commissioned by the relevant body (namely Oxfordshire County Council) to plant trees in empty tree pits; it could not plant trees of its own accord.

·       The Tree Management Policy was designed to have a very narrow, specific scope.

·       The Cabinet Member and officers could further consider how the previous recommendation of the Panel could be further embedded into the policy. The previous recommendation was ‘that the Council, when it reviews its policies, explores how it could incentivise, promote and encourage the planting, retention and renewal of trees through those policies – particularly within Planning and Licensing’.

·       In relation to the recommendation: ‘that the Council, when it reviews its policies, explores how it could incentivise, promote and encourage the planting, retention and renewal of trees through those policies – particularly within Planning and Licensing’, this would be considered at the next review of the Urban Forest Strategy; it would not be considered through the Tree Management Policy as the draft Cabinet response suggested.

·       In the event that an individual/group was dissatisfied with tree management activity, the usual Council complaints process should be followed.

·       The relevant Cabinet Member would be kept appraised of reporting on tree felling and maintenance; other Members could ask questions related to tree management at Full Council meetings if they wished.

·       The Tree Management Policy could not supersede Planning documents such as the Local Plan.

The Panel agreed to recommend to Cabinet that:

1.    The Council makes an explicit commitment within Policy ST8 of the Tree Management Policy 2024-2023 that it will plant replacement trees in the same location as the tree that was felled wherever possible and/or practicable to do so.

2.    The Council ensures clarity within the Tree Management Policy 2024-2032 on why it plants trees in the way that it does – including cross-referencing with other documents to ensure the broad rationale is articulated within the Tree Management Policy 2024-2032 for context.

3.    The Council, within Policy TP5 of the Tree Management Policy 2024-2032, clarifies its approach to managing conflicts between existing trees and hard surfaces (in addition to its approach to managing conflicts between new trees and hard surfaces), including specific reference to standard proactive methodologies used to address those conflicts.

4.    The Council explicitly recognises the need to work in partnership with the County Council and/or Highways on street tree issues and includes a reference to this within the Tree Management Policy 2024-2032.

5.    The Council contextualises the number of street trees it owns within the Tree Management Policy 2024-2032.

6.    The Council expands section 6 of the Tree Management Policy 2024-2032 (communication with the public, stakeholders and Members) to set out the Council’s commitment to encouraging local residents and groups to come forward with proposals related to tree planting and maintenance and the Council’s approach to facilitating and responding to such proposals.

7.    The Council explores how other local authorities have sought to incentivise, promote and encourage the planting, retention and renewal of trees on private land through their policies, particularly in relation to HMOs and Selective Licensing, to inform future updates to the Council’s Urban Forest Strategy.

8.    The Council explicitly recognises the importance of mature trees within the Tree Management Policy 2024-2032 and highlights the need for the Planning process to be sympathetic to mature and existing trees.

Cllr Nigel Chapman, Cabinet Member for Citizen Focused Services and Council Companies, Tom Bridgman, Executive Director (Development), Chris Leyland, Tree Officer, Giles Mercer, External Consultant and Dealga O’Callaghan, External Consultant left the meeting and did not return.