Issue - meetings

Recommendation CE 23/16 of the Communities and Environment Scrutiny Select Committee of 14 June 2023

Consideration was given to recommendation CE 23/16 of the Communities and Environment Scrutiny Select Committee of 14 June 2023

RESOLVED:  That

(1)             the proposed amendments to the Tree Safety Policy, as set out in Annexes 3 and 3a, be approved; subject to:

-        clarification with the insurers with regard to the recommended length of time for any tree inspections records to be kept by the Borough Council

(Decision Notice D230062CAB)

Consideration was given to recommendation CE 23/16 of the Communities and Environment Scrutiny Select Committee of 14 June 2023.

RESOLVED:  That the proposed amendments to the Tree Safety Policy, as set out in Annexes 3 and 3a, be approved; subject to:

-        clarification with the insurers with regard to the recommended length of time for any tree inspections records to be kept by the Borough Council

This report advises on the Council’s current policy in regard to the health and safety management of its own tree stock and identifies potential alterations to the policy following a review by Officers and the Council’s Insurers.

(Report of Director of Street Scene, Leisure and Technical Services)

Members were advised of the Borough Council’s current policy in regard to the health and safety management of its own tree stock (attached at Annex 1).

Following a review by Officers and Insurers it was concluded that the current policy demonstrated well-documented evidence of a risk based approach adopted by the Borough Council in relation to the management of tree liability risks. Whilst there were no major faults identified a number of recommendations to improve how the document could be relied upon from a claim’s defensibility perspective were presented for consideration as detailed in Annex 3.

Following consideration by the Communities and Environment Scrutiny Select Committee, the Cabinet Member for Community Services resolved that:

(1)          the proposed amendments to the Tree Safety Policy, as set out in Annex 3, be approved.

Members were advised of the Borough Council’s current policy in regard to the health and safety management of its own tree stock (attached at Annex 1).

Following a review by Officers and Insurers it was concluded that the current policy demonstrated well-documented evidence of a risk based approach adopted by the Borough Council in relation to the management of tree liability risks.  Whilst there were no major faults identified a number of recommendations to improve how the document could be relied upon from a claim’s defensibility perspective were presented for consideration as detailed in Annex 3 and Annex 3a.

Clarification was sought on the definition of an “adequate” length of time for any records of tree inspections to be kept as highlighted in the Insurers’ report and further information was to be sought from the Insurers.

RECOMMENDED*: That

(1)          the proposed amendments to the Tree Safety Policy, as set out in Annex 3 and Annex 3a, be approved, subject to clarification with the Insurers with regard to the recommended length of time for any tree inspection records to be kept by the Borough Council.

* Referred to Cabinet