Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils
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Meeting: 23/02/2021 - Babergh Council (Item 58)

QUESTIONS BY COUNCILLORS IN ACCORDANCE WITH COUNCIL PROCEDURE RULES

The Chairman of the Council, Chairs of Committees and Sub-Committees and Portfolio Holders to answer any questions on any matters in relation to which the Council has powers or duties or which affect the District of which due notice has been given in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 13.

Minutes:

58.       None received.

 


Meeting: 18/02/2021 - Mid Suffolk Council (Item 60)

60 QUESTIONS BY COUNCILLORS IN ACCORDANCE WITH COUNCIL PROCEDURE RULES pdf icon PDF 97 KB

The Chairman of the Council, Chairs of Committees and Sub-Committees and Portfolio Holders to answer any questions on any matters in relation to which the Council has powers or duties or which affect the District of which due notice has been given in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 13.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Andrew Stringer to Councillor Fleming, Cabinet Member for the Environment

 

Given the justified public outcry of this Council cutting down three of the walnut trees planted by my former Head Teacher Mike Arbon in Walnut Tree Walk in Stowmarket, and the Council subsequently stating, incorrectly, that this was because Suffolk County Council Highways demanded their removal within 21 days. when will the Council offer an apology and admit it was wrong?

 

Councillor Fleming – Cabinet Member for the Environment

 

The District Council already have made a public statement in the EADT which makes it clear that the Council regrets the loss of the trees.  I too personally regret the loss of 3 walnut trees which were cut down on Walnut Tree Walk following miscommunications and what appears to have been errors of judgement on site, the details of which have been publicly reported.  Mistakes happen, as all of us know and this was one of them.  Important lessons have been learned and measures are being put in place to avoid any similar error.  As Cabinet Member for Environment including public realm, I am sorry that this happened and realise that the trees were planted by a former headmaster of the middle school, the Council intends to make amends by ensuring that healthy and well located replacement trees are planted as soon feasible as part of the agreed planning conditions.

 

Supplementary Question from Councillor Stringer to Councillor Fleming:

 

Can I thank Councillor Fleming for saying the word sorry in that speech publicly.  That helps me certainly to draw a line and move on, which I really hope to do.  Would Councillor Fleming agree whether it would be a good idea to rethink our proposals on the site we own in Walnut Tree Walk to make sure we are bringing back better than we are taking away and communicate that to the wider area, so we avoid these mistakes in the future.

 

Councillor Fleming – Cabinet Member for the Environment

 

I am not sure anything that I can say about this particular site will help avoid anything in the future, I think the new procedures will.  However, this particular site is scheduled for redevelopment for housing and the road along the close where the trees were cut is unfortunately going to be widened. The trees that were cut down, would have had to have been cut down anyway and the planning application which was determined earlier last year passed muster with about four or five objections. The plans have already been approved as far as I understand.  I don’t think there is anything I or anyone else can do to revisit planning conditions that have already been through the planning process.

 

Councillor Sarah Mansel to Councillor David Burn, Cabinet Member for Planning

 

The Healthy Homes Act calls for a set of Healthy Homes Principles to be made law and as such part of national planning policy.  Since advising officers of this initiative in January we have not heard anything more.  Will  ...  view the full minutes text for item 60