Tree-planting rejection branded 'shameful'

A council has been criticised after it turned down a tree-planting petition in Surrey.

Englefield Green Village Neighbourhood Forum had petitioned Runnymede Borough Council to allow volunteers to plant and maintain trees and hedges on selected council-owned sites.

But the local authority said it would be too much for already stretched staff and could lead to unintended consequences and costs.

It was also concerned about potential financial liability should volunteers disband or become unable to maintain what they planted.

Councillor Andrea Berardi said he was "extremely disappointed" by the council's recommendation to refuse the petition.

"It's really shameful that this council can't support community groups in environmental initiatives," he said.

"We need more trees everywhere."

"Trees will protect us from heatwaves, they will mitigate against flooding, they provide biodiversity."

Berardi said he had repeatedly been told the council, which he claimed has a "very embarrassing" target of planting 20 trees a year, did not have any money to do its own planting.

"This would seem the obvious solution. You have many other councils that are bending over backwards to support voluntary planting," he said.

Runnymede Borough Council said it had a long track record of supporting community groups

However, it said the petition's wording "effectively opened up" all areas of the borough to planting, which could pose "major headaches", according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The petition is due to be considered at a council meeting on 17 June.

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