Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge town councillors voted last night (Monday) to NOT save a threatened historic tree in the town after being advised by the County Council that it would cost £10,000 to make it safe.
As reported here, local residents have been campaigning to try and save the 200-year-old rare Black Poplar at the junction of Rectory Road and Berrow Road, with a petition organised to save it.
However, at a Town Council meeting on Monday evening (March 6th), Burnham’s Mayor Cllr Lesley Millard said a Somerset County Council arboriculture report had found “the tree has a limited safe life expectancy due to its structural condition and the presence of Armillaria decay fungi.”
She added that Somerset County Council had recommended that it would not be a good use of public money to maintain the tree for a short period of time.
Town councillors voted unanimously not to spend funds on saving the tree, agreeing that it would “not be a good use of public money to maintain the tree for a short period of time.”
The Mayor added: “Instead, we would welcome the opportunity to work with the County Council and local residents to create a haven for wildlife.”
The decision comes after a meeting was held on February 28th attended by the Mayor plus Cllr Bill Revans (Leader of Somerset County Council), Paul Sweetman (Highways Arboriculture), and one local resident with concerns about the future of the tree.
The Mayor explained: “The purpose of the stakeholder meeting was to discuss the independent arboriculture report and for Cllr Bill Revans to present Somerset County Council’s decision. The report was discussed and all those present agreed that the report was conclusive and that the tree was no longer safe.”
She added that the Town Council is dedicated to getting input from local residents on “ensuring the tree continues to provide a safe harbour for wildlife” and added: “It’s suggested that the trunk could be put in a wildlife area in the town to provide this function and a new tree planted in its place.”
“It was agreed that the County and Town Councils would like to work with the local community to create a special place at the site to restore nature in our town and provide somewhere for our residents to enjoy local wildlife. The ideal way forward would be to work through the existing Working Party for Climate and Ecological Change in the town and seek residents who would like to join a working party for this task.”
Somerset County Council Leader Cllr Bill Revans told Burnham-On-Sea.com after Monday night’s meeting: “Somerset County Council is committed to improving the tree canopy of Somerset and would only remove a tree where there is clear evidence that there is risk to the public and where there is no alternative.”
“We have clear expert evidence from the arboriculturist’s report and the ecologist’s report that the black poplar in Rectory Road has sadly reached the end of its life and that there are no ecological reasons not to act to remove it for public safety. We will work with the Town Council to agree on an alternative sustainable planting scheme for this site.”
