Agenda item

To seek the support of Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee for the South Kesteven District Council Trees and Woodlands Strategy 2024 - 2034, and to recommend to Cabinet for  approval and adoption.

The Cabinet Member for Environment and Waste presented the report which concerned the South Kesteven District Council Trees and Woodlands Strategy 2024 – 2034.  A considerable amount of work had gone into the document following the approval of previous documents: The Council’s Tree Guidelines for the Management of Trees in South Kesteven which was approved on 17 September 2019 and also the Local Government Charter for Trees, Woods and People which was approved at Cabinet on 12 November 2019.  The Council had identified the need the take further action with regards to enhancing and protecting the trees of the whole district, as well as those directly managed by the Council.

A workshop on the proposed Trees and Woodlands Strategy was held on 18 January 2024 to which all Members had been invited. The workshop was led by Treeconomics, who were appointed to lead on the development of the new strategy.A separate workshop was held for parish councillors and environmental stakeholders as identified by officers that same day.   A three week public consultation followed which received 919 responses, one of the highest responses to any consultation undertaken by the Council in the last 18 months.

Trees played a vital role and contributed to habitat for wildlife, shade for crops and livestock, they reduced the risk of flooding and helped with poor air quality.   Lincolnshire had one of the lowest levels of tree cover in England, at 5.67% compared to an average for England of around 10%.

The aims of the Trees and Woodlands Strategy were:

·       To set out the current level of tree canopy cover in the district

·       To highlight main areas of opportunity to enhance trees and woodlands

·       To set out what role the Council as local authority can play in facilitating that alongside key partners

The Strategy was made up of four separate documents:

·       Trees and Woodlands Strategy Introduction and Vision

·       Trees and Woodlands Strategy Targets and Priorities

·       Trees and Woodlands Strategy Action Plan

·       Trees and Woodlands Strategy Appendices

Following recommendations from the Environment OSC a new Tree Officer post had been established for the 2024/25 financial year, in order to deliver on the Council’s work on trees on land within the ownership of South Kesteven District Council as well as to deliver on the actions of the draft Tree and Woodland Strategy.

Members discussed the draft Tree and Woodland Strategy with comments being made in respect of the amount of land that was available to plant trees having regard to clean energy and the use of solar panels, agriculture and the demand for housing.  Green spaces were disappearing rapidly and did the new strategy link with the new Local Plan being compiled.

It was stated that getting the right balance was essential and work was being done to make sure that the draft document did not supersede or undermine what was already in place. Further discussion followed on proposed developments within the district specifically the development at the Prince William of Gloucester Barracks which contained a large number of trees and Members expressed concern about how these could be retained.

The Chairman expressed his thanks in relation to the new Cherry Tree that had been situated on Melbourne Road, Grantham.  He thanked those officers present for their work in moving the tree and also made reference to including hedgerows within the work programme of the OSC.

The recommendation contained within the report was proposed, seconded and AGREED.

Recommendation:

That the Committee:

Recommends the new South Kesteven District Council Trees and Woodlands Strategy 2024 - 2034 to Cabinet for approval.