Tree Preservation Orders

Richard Payne made this Freedom of Information request to King's Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council Automatic anti-spam measures are in place for this older request. Please let us know if a further response is expected or if you are having trouble responding.

The request was successful.

Dear King's Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council,

I would like to know the following:

GENERALLY
1. Any documentation which the Council uses for determining which trees in the authority area are given a Tree Preservation Order and the criteria which is being used by the Council for placing a Tree Preservation Order on specific trees in the authority area.
2. Any documentation (including notes of site visits), emails, or correspondence relating to the trees to the rear of 43, Greevegate, Hunstanton.
3. The number of Tree Preservation Orders which were placed on trees within the authority area for each of the last 5 years.
SPECIFICALLY
1. Site visit 22/11/2022 - The site notes and details of the agreement reached with Mr Richard Fisher, Arboricultural officer.
2. Site visit 07/12/2022 – The name/s of the officer/s who carried out the survey and their arboricultural qualifications. The site notes, images and risk assessment leading to the imposition of a TPO.
3. The report authorising the Duly Authorised Signatory to create the TPO.

Yours faithfully,

Richard Payne

Dear King's Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council,

I refer to my Freedom of Information request.
The authority should normally have responded promptly and by 25 January 2023.
Please can you confirm receipt and give me an update of your progress in the matter.

Yours faithfully,

Richard Payne

Freedom of Information Requests, King's Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council

11 Attachments

Dear Mr Payne

Further to your Freedom of Information request, I can confirm the responses are below:

1. Any documentation which the Council uses for determining which trees in the authority area are given a Tree Preservation Order and the criteria which is being used by the Council for placing a Tree Preservation Order on specific trees in the authority area - various documents will be referred to such as Planning Practice Guidance, Planning Scheme of Delegation and a Tree Evaluation Method for Preservation Orders assessment (TEMPO), copy attached in relation to this case.

2. Any documentation (including notes of site visits), emails, or correspondence relating to the trees to the rear of 43, Greevegate, Hunstanton. - 2 x emails are attached.

3. The number of Tree Preservation Orders which were placed on trees within the authority area for each of the last 5 years.

2018 = 10
2019 = 13
2020 = 3
2021 = 16
2022 = 13

SPECIFICALLY

1. Site visit 22/11/2022 - The site notes and details of the agreement reached with Mr Richard Fisher, Arboricultural officer. - Mr Fisher left the organisation in November 2022, therefore I am unable to provide this data.

2. Site visit 07/12/2022 - The name/s of the officer/s who carried out the survey and their arboricultural qualifications. The site notes, images and risk assessment leading to the imposition of a TPO.

a) Site visit by both Matt Clarey and Johnathan Bundock (consultant for Golden Tree Services). The council has been using Golden Tree Services whilst we recruit a new Arboricultural Officer to commence employment.
b) Risk Assessment - Jonathan Bundock has confirmed - the trees did not present as being immediately dangerous at the time of his visit.

3. The report authorising the Duly Authorised Signatory to create the TPO.

Planning Scheme of Delegation provides authorised officers to confirm TPO's. If an objection to the processed TPO is received then a report will be presented to Planning Committee and they would take a decision.

Information Governance Officer
Tel: 01553 616200
[email address]

show quoted sections

Dear Freedom of Information Requests,

Thank you for your response to my Freedom of Information request.

I am disappointed that you have not included the mentioned Guidance Note in respect of the Tree Evaluation Method for Preservation Orders - TEMPO - which is important to give context to the form. Please could you provide this document.

The partially completed TEMPO form is meaningless without the underlying reasoning notes for the decisions. Please could you provide this information.

I appreciate that Mr Fisher has left the authority, but his work prior to this is still available. Please provide the information I have requested.

Best practice demands that a formal risk assessment is undertaken. Can you please confirm that this assessment was carried out and if so, may I have copies of the documentation.

Yours sincerely,

Richard Payne

Freedom of Information Requests, King's Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council

Dear Mr Payne

I have attached a link to the guidance document https://www.gov.uk/guidance/tree-preserv...

I am unable to find any additional notes to accompany the TEMPO.

We have been unable to find any copies of risk assessments.

Kind regards

Information Governance Officer
Tel: 01553 616200
[email address]

show quoted sections