Full process of decision making that leads to the felling of mature street trees within Southend.

Paul Brett made this Freedom of Information request to Southend-on-Sea City Council

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Dear Southend on Sea Borough Council,

On Tuesday 22nd February I witnessed and filmed the wilful destruction of a healthy mature tree in Leigh-on-Sea by the councils contractor "Tree Fella"

Therefore could you provide the FULL process of decision making that leads to the felling of mature street trees within Southend - including the People involved in the decision making from the Chief Executive to the person who issues the instruction to the team on the ground who undertake the councils tree felling.

So the chain of command may look something like this:

Ali Griffin - Chief Executive.
Andy Lewis - Deputy Chief Executive (Place)
Peter Geraghty - Director of Planning and Transport
??????? - Head of Highways (responsible for footpaths)
Ian Brown - Head of Parks and Landscaping
Jackie Gilbert - Tree Officer for many councils in Essex
Tree Fella - preferred contractor for 20+ years

We believe many mature trees are being felled unnecessarily by a process that is flawed, outdated, mismanaged - and in many cases environmentally unlawful in the destruction of Southends environmental assets of community value; that once gone cannot be replaced in our lifetime.

I look forward to your response.

Yours faithfully,

Paul Brett

council, Southend-on-Sea City Council

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council, Southend-on-Sea City Council

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Your enquiry has been sent to the Freedom of Information Department for assistance.

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Dear P Brett,

 

Thank you for your request received on 24/02/2022 for information under
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Skye Larkin – Corporate Freedom of Information Team – Southend-on-Sea
Borough Council

Working to make lives better

( 01702 534929 (Direct) | *
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Corporate Strategy Group l Transformation Service l Southend-on-Sea
Borough Council | Civic Centre, Victoria Avenue, Southend on Sea, Essex,
SS2 6ER

 

 

 

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PlaceFOIRequests, Southend-on-Sea City Council

1 Attachment

Dear Mr Brett

 

In response to your Freedom of information request in which you asked the
following question

 1. Could you provide the FULL process of decision making that leads to
the felling of mature street trees within Southend - including the
People involved in the decision making from the Chief Executive to the
person who issues the instruction to the team on the ground who
undertake the councils tree felling So the chain of command may look
something like this: Chief Executive. Director of Planning and
Transport ??????? – Head of Highways (responsible for footpaths) Head
of Parks and Landscaping Tree Officer Preferred contractor (eg Tree
Fella preferred contractor for 20+ years)

I can confirm that a search for the information has been completed

 1. The decision to remove a tree is based on the outcome of inspection
carried out by the council’s own qualified Arboriculturalists. The
decision to remove is based on the condition of the tree and informed
by the council’s tree policy. A copy of the policy is attached for
your further information. The Arboricultural Officer will issue a work
order to the contractor, inform residents and local councillors, place
a notice on the tree, and update the council website with information
on the tree and the reason for its removal.

If you are unhappy with the service you have received in relation to your
request and wish to request a review of our response, you should write to
the Knowledge and Information Manager, PO Box 6, Civic Centre, Victoria
Avenue, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, SS2 6ER. If you are not content with the
outcome of your review, you can make a complaint under the Council’s
complaints process by writing to Corporate Complaints Officer, Office of
the Chief Executive, PO Box 6, Civic Centre, Victoria Avenue,
Southend-on-Sea, Essex, SS2 6ER.

 

You can also apply directly to the Information Commissioner (ICO) for a
decision although generally the ICO cannot make a decision unless you have
exhausted the Council’s complaints procedure. The Information Commissioner
can be contacted at: The Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe
House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF.

 

Kind regards

Debee Skinner | Business Intelligence Officer (Planning & Compliance) |
Performance & Intelligence Team | Southend-on-Sea City Council

 

Working to make lives better

Southend on Sea City Council | Floor 13 Civic Centre | Victoria Avenue |
Southend on Sea | SS2 6ER

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The information in this e-mail and any attachments is confidential and may
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attention and use of the named addressee(s). If you are not the intended
recipient, please notify the sender immediately. Unless you are the
intended recipient or his/her representative you are not authorised to,
and must not, read, copy, distribute, use or retain this message or any
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subject to recording and/or monitoring in accordance with relevant
legislation.

At present the integrity of e-mail across the Internet cannot be
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at risk. You should perform your own virus checks before opening any
attachments.

Consider the environment. Please don't print this e-mail unless you really
need to.