Agenda item

To consider the report.

Following consideration of the officer report, appendices and discussion, the Executive agreed: 

·       To adopt the Somerset Tree Strategy with Somerset Council as the responsible body for delivery.?? 

·       To take appropriate action to develop and adopt a Council wide policy to implement and guide everyone on the objectives of the strategy, and to report back to the Scrutiny Committee – Climate and Place in 6 .  

The Leader of the Council, Cllr Bill Revans, invited the Lead Member for Environment and Climate Change, Cllr Sarah Dyke, to introduce the report.

The Lead Member for Environment and Climate Change, Cllr Sarah Dyke, introduced the report, highlighting: that the Somerset Tree strategy had been developed over 10 months in partnership with a wide range of stakeholders across Somerset to shape the future of Somerset’s treescapes, recognising the Council's supporting role and the twin crises of the climate change and biodiversity loss; the feedback and input incorporated into the report, including public consultation outcomes and following Scrutiny for Policies Environment Committee consideration; that the strategy contained three documents - Somerset Tree Strategy?2023-2033, Somerset Actions & Objectives?2023-2033 and Somerset Tree Strategy Evidence?Document; funding from the Forestry Commission for the employment of three dedicated officers – a project officer, a community empowerment and a technical officer; and the ongoing development and fluidity of the document to sit and align with other documents as they are developed.

At the invitation of the Lead Member, the Climate Change and Resilience Officer, Jacob Hall, proceeded to present the report, sharing a video covering the concerns and how the strategy can help positively impact, make woodlands resilient, adaptable and well managed, and create a diverse treescape that connects rural woodlands to urban treescapes.

The Leader of the Council, Cllr Bill Revans, invited comments from other Members present, questions and points raised included: the high level strategy and the importance of working holistically and in alignment as part of a suite of strategies, including land mapping, planning, local nature recovery, biodiversity and land use; the welcome document structure to appeal to a wide public audience; the Somerset Wood project; working in collaboration with Children Services to develop a children and young people’s strategy and to work with forest schools; ash tree protection and replacement; housing developer landscaping conditions, including working with officers, local plans for tree planting, tree maintenance responsibilities, timeframes and statutory limits; informing communities of the tree strategy through Local Community Networks; the geographic comparison and achievable limits of land and tree management including AONB; the National Forest inventory 2023 map; improving engagement with young people; hedgerow data; the national planning policy framework regarding tree lining streets; the agricultural and environmental regulations, enforcement, compliance and the use of tree preservation orders; land management and importance of the right tree in the right place; tree supply and demand, including the importance of advance planning and cost effective purchasing; and community tree nurseries.

The Executive proceeded to vote on the recommendations, which were agreed unanimously.

Following consideration of the officer report, appendices and discussion, the Executive agreed: 

·       To adopt the Somerset Tree Strategy with Somerset Council as the responsible body for delivery.

·       To take appropriate action to develop and adopt a Council wide policy to implement and guide everyone on the objectives of the strategy, and to report back to the Scrutiny Committee – Climate and Place in 6 month’s time.

ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS CONSIDERED: As set out in the officer report.?

REASON FOR DECISION: As set out in the officer report.