Tree work Grange cemetery
Dear Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council,
Mancoed has started felling trees in Grange cemetery. Some of them had a high potential of bat roosts and bats have been recorded in the area.
Photos of felled high potential bat roosts in Grange cemetery have been provided to WBC ; additionally the Merseyside and West Lancashire bat group ( MWLBG) has voiced concerns / given advice.
1. Who is responsible for a bat survey prior to the felling? WBC or Mancoed?
Did anybody carry out a bat survey before the felling took place?
If yes, who, when and with which results?
2. How will WBC proceed now with the remaining trees within the woodland and the wider cemetery which were destined to be felled?
Will WBC take on board the advic given by MWLBG to only pollard even deadwood?
Will WBC leave deadwood standing if there is s no / low risk for residents?
What is the minimum hight deadwood can be left standing?
3. Will WBC work together with residents and take their observations into consideration?
If yes, how?
4. How will WBC prevent further damage in case some bats are still in torpor in the hollow trunk or crevices? As people have already started to harvest the timber, some bats ( if they have survived) still might get injured during that sawing process.
5. When will WBC start implementing the new tree strategy and plant 4 new trees for each felled mature tree in Grange cemetery? Will the replacement trees be planted at the same location?
Who will plant them and which variety?
Yours faithfully,
Birgitta Kuhlmann-Müller
Dear Ms Kuhlmann-Muller,
Thank you for your recent FOI request, submitted under the Freedom of
Information Act 2000. Please see our responses alongside your questions
below:
1. Who is responsible for a bat survey prior to the felling? WBC or
Mancoed? Did anybody carry out a bat survey before the felling took place?
If yes, who, when and with which results?
Our contractors undertake assessments of every tree worked on to determine
if roosting birds or bats are present, following the process defined in
the micro guide (BS 8596). They have full and thorough environmental
procedures that fulfil all relevant legislative requirements. Work shall
not be carried out on trees found to have these present.
2. How will WBC proceed now with the remaining trees within the woodland
and the wider cemetery which were destined to be felled? Will WBC take on
board the advice given by MWLBG to only pollard even deadwood?
Will WBC leave deadwood standing if there is s no / low risk for
residents? What is the minimum height deadwood can be left standing?
All work that has been identified on the tree risk surveys shall be
completed as soon as practicable. Where appropriate (based on the
condition of the tree and its location) we are trying to leave as much
standing deadwood in-situ as possible. Our contractor has also been
instructed, when leaving standing dead-wood (termed ‘monoliths’), to carry
out coronet cuts and work that creates natural tears on the remaining
tree, which are some of the recognised arboricultural conservation
techniques in order to improve and create habitat. However, when dealing
with dead elms, these are generally of a smaller trunk diameter and will
become unstable quite quickly so these are felled and chipped. As much as
possible, in the less formal and woodland areas throughout the district
cut wood is left as habitat piles and chippings are also left on-site,
spread throughout these area.
3. Will WBC work together with residents and take their observations into
consideration? If yes, how?
The draft tree strategy is currently out for public consultation up to
December 20^th, and all comments and input towards this are welcome.
[1]https://www.wirral.gov.uk/planning-and-b...
4. How will WBC prevent further damage in case some bats are still in
torpor in the hollow trunk or crevices? As people have already started to
harvest the timber, some bats ( if they have survived) still might get
injured during that sawing process.
Our contractors undertake assessments of every tree worked on to determine
if roosting birds or bats are present, following the process defined in
the micro guide (BS 8596). They have full and thorough environmental
procedures that fulfil all relevant legislative requirements. Work shall
not be carried out on trees found to have these present.
5. When will WBC start implementing the new tree strategy and plant 4
new trees for each felled mature tree in Grange cemetery? Will the
replacement trees be planted at the same location? Who will plant them and
which variety?
The draft tree strategy is currently out for public consultation up to
December 20th, and all comments and input towards this are
welcome.[2]https://www.wirral.gov.uk/planning-and-b...
I trust this assists you with your enquiries.
You have the right under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000
to ask for an internal review if you are dissatisfied with the information
provided to you. Please direct any request for an internal review to
[3][Wirral Borough Council request email] and your request will be allocated for
review.
Yours sincerely,
Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year
Chelsea Dalton
Information Management Officer
Business Management - ICT
Treasury Building
Argyle Street
Birkenhead
Wirral
CH41 1AH
Tel: 0151 666 5201
[4][Wirral Borough Council request email]
PLEASE FORWARD ALL FOI RESPONSES TO [5][Wirral Borough Council request email]
This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended
solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed.
If you have received this email in error please notify the system manager.
References
Visible links
1. https://www.wirral.gov.uk/planning-and-b...
2. https://www.wirral.gov.uk/planning-and-b...
3. mailto:[Wirral Borough Council request email]
4. mailto:[Wirral Borough Council request email]
5. mailto:[Wirral Borough Council request email]
Dear Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council,
Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.
I am writing to request an internal review of Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council's handling of my FOI request 'Tree work Grange cemetery
Please see my new comments below your response.
1. Who is responsible for a bat survey prior to the felling? WBC or
Mancoed? Did anybody carry out a bat survey before the felling took place?
If yes, who, when and with which results?
WBC :Our contractors undertake assessments of every tree worked on to determine
if roosting birds or bats are present, following the process defined in
the micro guide (BS 8596). They have full and thorough environmental
procedures that fulfil all relevant legislative requirements. Work shall
not be carried out on trees found to have these present.
BKM : Your answer to my question obviously is : the contractor is responsible for a bat survey / assessment.
However : I believe that Mancoed did NOT follow the process described in the micro guide.
They even didn't know that the felled sycamore had high bat roost potential and made very unknowledgeable comments about bats.
Can you please provide me with evidence that the assessment had taken place as you claim?
You didn't answer my question when the assessment took place, by whom execatly and with which results.
Please provide me with written evidence - as my conversations with Mancoed and observations are contrary to your claim.
2. How will WBC proceed now with the remaining trees within the woodland
and the wider cemetery which were destined to be felled? Will WBC take on
board the advice given by MWLBG to only pollard even deadwood?
Will WBC leave deadwood standing if there is s no / low risk for
residents? What is the minimum height deadwood can be left standing?
WBC :All work that has been identified on the tree risk surveys shall be
completed as soon as practicable. Where appropriate (based on the
condition of the tree and its location) we are trying to leave as much
standing deadwood in-situ as possible. Our contractor has also been
instructed, when leaving standing dead-wood (termed ‘monoliths’), to carry
out coronet cuts and work that creates natural tears on the remaining
tree, which are some of the recognised arboricultural conservation
techniques in order to improve and create habitat. However, when dealing
with dead elms, these are generally of a smaller trunk diameter and will
become unstable quite quickly so these are felled and chipped. As much as
possible, in the less formal and woodland areas throughout the district
cut wood is left as habitat piles and chippings are also left on-site,
spread throughout these area.
BKM :What does " as soon as practible" mean in regards to time and contractor?
A FOI in June revealed that the contract with Mancoed would finish on 30th November.
Who is WBC'S tree contractor now?
What do you mean with " leaving standing deadwood in situ when appropriate"
Who decides re appropriateness?
Is there a link to criteria for appropriateness?
Have residents been consulted?
Have appropriateness criteria changed after WBC declared a climate emergency?
3. Will WBC work together with residents and take their observations into
consideration? If yes, how?
WBC :The draft tree strategy is currently out for public consultation up to
December 20^th, and all comments and input towards this are welcome.
[1]https://www.wirral.gov.uk/planning-and-b...
BKM:I didn't mean the future tree strategy. I mean whether WBC consult with residents and friends groups before any major felling work takes place in their area.
Do you take resident's local knowledge ( and ecological surveys) re trees, birds and bats into consideration or do you rely only on the arboriculterist / survey?
Do you consult with Merseyside and west Lancashire bat group - as this didn't happen before the felling started at Grange.
4. How will WBC prevent further damage in case some bats are still in
torpor in the hollow trunk or crevices? As people have already started to
harvest the timber, some bats ( if they have survived) still might get
injured during that sawing process.
WBC:Our contractors undertake assessments of every tree worked on to determine
if roosting birds or bats are present, following the process defined in
the micro guide (BS 8596). They have full and thorough environmental
procedures that fulfil all relevant legislative requirements. Work shall
not be carried out on trees found to have these present.
BKM: Your response doesn't answer my question.
Your contractors left the felled trees with high bat potential on the ground.Members of the public have started to harvest the timber.
If bats were injured or are in hibernation, they might get killed now by further action.
How des WBC prevent that?
5. When will WBC start implementing the new tree strategy and plant 4
new trees for each felled mature tree in Grange cemetery? Will the
replacement trees be planted at the same location? Who will plant them and
which variety?
WBC:The draft tree strategy is currently out for public consultation up to
December 20th, and all comments and input towards this are
welcome.[2]https://www.wirral.gov.uk/planning-and-b...
BKM : I can't find answers to my question in the tree strategy draft.
Can you please answer my questions?
Yours faithfully,
Birgitta Kuhlmann-Muller
Dear Dalton, Chelsea,
I asked for an internal review re your response to my questions relating to tree work in Grange Cemetery / Park.
I can't find further communication from you since my request in December.
I would be grateful for clarification of my questions, please.
Yours sincerely,
Birgitta Kuhlmann-Muller
Dear Mrs Kuhlman - Muller,
Thank you for your further correspondence. We have treated this as a
request for an internal review as you have either expressed
dissatisfaction of the handling of your request or have an issue with the
responses received from the Information Management Team.
The Council will aim to respond to this within 20 working days from the
receipt of your request, however officers from our parks service have
stated, "Due to the continuing number of enquiries and FOI's you submit to
this service with our limited resources, we were not able to meet the
corporate response time. We will endeavour to review your latest enquiry
at the earliest opportunity."
If you then remain dissatisfied you have the right to complain to the
Information Commissioner at [1]https://ico.org.uk/global/contact-us/
Yours Sincerely,
Chelsea Dalton
Information Management Officer
Wirral Council
Treasury Building
Cleveland Street
Birkenhead
CH41 1AH
Tel: 0151 666 5201
[Wirral Borough Council request email]
visit our website: www.wirral.gov.uk
PLEASE FORWARD ALL FOI RESPONSES TO [Wirral Borough Council request email]
Dear Ms Kuhlmann-Muller
We write further to your email of 7 December 2019 in which you expressed
dissatisfaction with the Council’s response to your original FOI request
dated 4 November 2019. We apologise for the delay in responding but can
confirm that the correspondence has been reviewed and we can advise as
follows.
Your email of 7 December 2019 was referred to senior staff within the
Parks & Countryside team for their input. Having reviewed all
correspondence received to date , the Council is of the opinion that your
questions are repeated questions that have already been answered,
submitted in a different format. We understand that the Assistant
Director of Community Services recently wrote to you to advise that we
will not respond to repeated questions where we believe you have received
adequate responses. The Freedom of Information Act affords a right of
access to ‘recorded information’ and as such we cannot comment upon any
references to conversations that may or may not have occurred between
yourself and contractors.
The Council is clear in its policy regarding the essential tree work that
has and is still to be undertaken throughout the Borough, in order to
reduce risk to an acceptable level. The Council is also confident that
the contractors employed on this work undertake it to the highest safety
and environmental standards. Mancoed remains the principal arboricultural
contractor employed until later in 2020, when a new arboricultural works
contract shall be put out to tender. The draft tree strategy is currently
being reviewed following the period of public consultation with further
announcements due in the coming weeks.
In the premises I am satisfied that the Council has responded fully to
your FOI request and that there is nothing further to add to the
information previously provided to you. If you remain dissatisfied, it is
open to you to raise a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s
Office, contact details for which can be found at
[1]https://ico.org.uk/global/contact-us/
Yours sincerely
Lynette Paterson
Principal Information Management Officer
Wirral Council
Treasury Building
Cleveland Street
Birkenhead
Wirral
CH41 1AH
Tel: 0151 691 8201
Email: [2][Wirral Borough Council request email]
Visit our website: [3]www.wirral.gov.uk
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References
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1. https://ico.org.uk/global/contact-us/
2. mailto:[Wirral Borough Council request email]
3. http://www.wirral.gov.uk/
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