Cllr Gant, Chair of the Scrutiny Committee presented the report and noted the Board’s agreement to the recommendations.

Education Attainment

Cllr Gant said that the Scrutiny Committee had also reviewed the education attainment report and supported the actions in the report and would support a budgetary bid for further education work.

The Head of Direct Services submitted a report which detailed an updated Tree Management Policy.

Cllr Smith, Board member for Leisure, Sport and Parks presented the report. She explained the main changes to the policy were writing it in a friendlier manner, and outlining people’s common law rights and the arbitration review process. She thanked the Park and Open Spaces Manager and the Tree team for all the work they had done.

The Chair thanked Cllr Smith for the work she had done.

Cllr Hollingsworth spoke on the Scrutiny Committee’s recommendation on planting fruit trees in parks and the concern about wasps. Cllr Smith said that fruit trees would be planted away from footpaths and roads so they wouldn’t be a hazard. Notices in parks would state that people could pick the fruit.

Cllr Hollingsworth said that the list of trees should say which trees should be pollarded and why eg for safety and environmental reasons.

Cllr Tanner asked if the total number of trees in the city had grown significantly.  The Park and Open Spaces Manager said he was fairly certain the number of city owned trees had stayed the same over last 10 years. Cllr Tanner asked if the Planning officers could provide the number of trees in the city to CEB members.

Cllr Simmons said that every tree would be replaced in the policy. The amount of CO2 absorbed by the different tree species could also be recorded on the tree list.

Recommendation: That the City Executive Board resolves to:

1.         Approve the draft Tree Management Policy