Decision details

(Report of Director of Planning, Housing and Environmental Health)

The report provided an update on the ongoing review into how the service dealt with all tree related matters and outlined proposed changes to processes and procedures to facilitate improvements.  Additionally, the report outlined the terms and scope of a Protocol intended to provide a clear and transparent framework on the administration of Tree Preservation Order work.

Following consideration by the Planning and Transportation Advisory Board, the Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Infrastructure resolved that:

The proposed strategy in respect of tree related matters, as set out in the report, be approved as follows:-

(1)   the principle of a Tree Preservation Order Protocol be adopted, subject to

-        consideration by the Cabinet of any necessary amendments to the draft document to reflect all feedback from the Planning and Transportation Advisory Board to ensure it was fit for purpose; and

-        a 6-month review period following the successful appointment to the Tree and Landscape Officer post;

(2)   the Director of Planning, Housing and Environmental Health be granted delegated authority to approve the final protocol in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Infrastructure;

(3)   Officers seek to develop a new Protocol further to the adopted Planning Enforcement Plan setting out in detail how alleged unauthorised works to protected trees will be investigated and how any evidenced breaches will be addressed;

(4)   Officers progress on-site Member training event(s) to enhance the information provided within the Member Briefing Note at a practical level following the successful appointment to the Landscape Officer post.  Final arrangements for how the training event(s) will take place to be delegated to the Director of Planning, Housing and Environmental Health in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Infrastructure;

(5)   Officers continue to develop detailed parameters for the review of historic TPOs across the Borough reflecting all feedback from the Planning and Transportation Advisory Board to ensure it is suitably focused and has a defined and achievable scope;

(6)   Officers build into 1 and 3-5 (inclusive) a review period to take place 6 months following the successful appointment to the Landscape Officer post to be reported to the Planning and Transportation Advisory Board for consideration of an updated, refined Protocol as necessary; and

(7)   Officers continue to review and improve all tree-related internal processes and administrative work to ensure that Members are regularly updated on improvements made.