Skip to content

Agenda item

Report of the Chief Officer for Highways, Infrastructure Development and Waste, the Head of Planning, Transportation and Environment and the Head of Digital Transformation and Business Support (HIW/18/32) on Policy Update and Management of Ash Die Back Disease, attached.

 

An Impact Assessment is also attached to the agenda.

 

Minutes:

(Councillors Biederman, Dewhirst, Hannaford, Greenslade and Whitton attended in accordance with Standing Order 25(2) and spoke to this item).

 

The Cabinet considered the Report of the Chief Officer for Highways, Infrastructure Development and Waste, the Head of Planning, Transportation and Environment and the Head of Digital Transformation and Business Support (HIW/18/32), circulated prior to the meeting in accordance with regulation 7(4) of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012, on the Policy Update and Management of Ash Die Back Disease, including how the Council should manage its responsibility for Ash Dieback in the County with due regard to both public safety and the environment.

 

The report highlighted that Chalara Dieback of Ash (commonly referred to as Ash Dieback (ADB)) had been pervading the UK from the continent, spreading from east to west.  Whilst in Devon it was in the early stages (but there were confirmed cases) it was estimated that 20% of Devon’s total tree population was Ash which meant it defined much of Devon’s landscape and had the potential for major impact within the next ten years. Estimates showed that the Ash tree population included 6,300 on highway land, 3,900 on the Council’s corporate estate, 3,100 on school grounds, but over 440,000 which were within falling distance of the highway.

 

The proposal in the Report in the management of Ash Die-back in Devon was focussed, first, on public safety and, second, the environmental impact and mitigation.

 

In terms of Highways tree’s and public safety, the Council had a duty of care to ensure that all trees on its land were kept in an acceptable condition and were risk assessed into four categories from ‘high’ to ‘very low’. The high-risk category included locations of high thoroughfare and were inspected at least annually by staff and every three years by a qualified arboriculturalist. As Ash die-back started to develop further in Devon, greater vigilance would be required.

 

In relation to Corporate Sites & Schools, it was proposed that tree inspections were increased where it was shown there was an increased risk.

 

In terms of Environmental Impact, the anticipated effects could include a degradation of wildlife habitats and loss of key species, visual impact on the landscape, slope stability/soil erosion, greater surface water run-off and increased flood risk and possible implications for air quality and temperature regulation. However, the Council had established a Devon Ash Dieback Resilience Forum who had worked with the Devon Local Nature Partnership (LNP) in producing a Devon Ash Dieback Action Plan (February 2016) available at https://www.naturaldevon.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Devon-ash-dieback-action-plan-February-2016.pdf

 

The Chief Officer and Heads of Services’ Report incorporated an Impact Assessment relating to the possible impacts, which had been circulated previously for the attention of Members at this meeting, in order that as part of its determination of the next steps in the process the Cabinet might have full regard to the responsibilities placed upon it to exercise its Public Sector Equality Duty, under s149 of the Equality Act 2010.

 

The Assessment related to the Council’s intended approach to the management of this tree disease from both a public safety and environmental perspective.

 

It outlined the two options, which was either to adopt a planned and proactive approach to dealing with the public safety and environmental issues which were likely to result from ash dieback or to continue with current policies and procedures, taking no new action to manage the public safety and environmental issues likely to result from ash dieback.

 

It was therefore recommended that a planned and proactive approach was adopted including variation to the frequency of tree inspections, the release of resources to mitigate the Authorities liabilities linked to the disease and a programme of environmental mitigation in line with the principles established through the Devon Ash Dieback Resilience Forum.

 

The matter having been debated and the options and/or alternatives and other relevant factors (e.g. financial, sustainability, carbon impact, risk management, equality and legal considerations and Public Health impact) set out in the Chief Officer and Head of Services’ Report and/or referred to above having been considered:

 

It was MOVED by Councillor Hughes, SECONDED by Councillor Croad and

 

RESOLVED

 

(a) that delegated authority be given to the Chief Officer for Highways Infrastructure Development and Waste and the Head of Digital Transformation and Business Support, in consultation with the relevant Cabinet Member, to vary the frequency of tree inspections as required to manage the risk of Ash Dieback;

 

(b) that the financial costs outlined in the Report be considered as part of the process for setting the Council’s 2019/20 Budget and Medium term financial strategy; and

 

(c) that Cabinet support and resource a programme of environmental mitigation in line with the principles set out in the Advice Note (Jan 2018) issued by the Devon Ash Dieback Resilience Forum.

 

[NB: The Impact Assessment referred to above may be viewed alongside Minutes of this meeting and may also be available at:  http://new.devon.gov.uk/impact/].

Supporting documents:


Top