Decision details

This report sets out the implications of Ash Dieback Disease for ash trees owned by this Council, how diseased trees should be managed and the estimated costs to the Council to manage this disease.

Many ash trees within the Borough are suffering from the effects of Ash Dieback Disease. Ash Dieback Disease is expected to kill the majority of ash trees within the Borough over the next 5-10 years. The nature of the disease means that ash trees become brittle and can regularly fail in whole or in part as the disease becomes established in the tree. Failing ash trees therefore pose an increased risk of harm to people and property.  It is necessary for the Council to have a clear regime in place to monitor the ash trees it owns and arrange for works to, or the felling of ash trees, which are significantly affected by the disease.

RESOLVED that the Executive:

(a)  approves the annual inspection of the Council’s ash trees;

(b)  agrees that £294,345 is allocated from the General Fund Reserves to cover the costs of the necessary tree works and felling resulting from Ash Dieback Disease;

(c)  notes that Officers will continue to monitor the actions taken by other authorities in respect of Ash Dieback and will continue to explore opportunities with other authorities to manage Ash Dieback, particularly where this would achieve notable cost savings; and

(d)  notes that a report for information will be presented to the Planning and Development Scrutiny Panel on an annual basis setting out the number of ash trees which required work/felling in the preceding 12 months and the cost of the associated inspections and works.