Issue - meetings

(a)       That the report be noted; and

(b)       That the Committee support the officers in their ongoing work associated with Ash Dieback.

The Chief Officer (Planning, Environment & Economy) introduced the report to provide an update on the work to mitigate the risks associated with the disease following the survey and inspection of affected trees adjacent to highways over the Summer 2020.

The Access and Natural Environment Manager presented the report which detailed how Flintshire County Council had confronted ash dieback in 2020/21 in line with the 2019 Ash Dieback Action Plan.  He provided background information and advised that to moderate and manage the risk associated to ash dieback a series of surveys had been undertaken to assess the distribution and disease classification of roadside ash trees for priority and secondary roads.  A programme of tree removal had begun on Flintshire owned trees and landowners with infected trees had been contacted to highlight the presence of ash dieback with an expectation that they would manage their own trees to mitigate the risks.  In conclusion the Access and Natural Environment Manager outlined the next steps as detailed in the report.

Councillor Dennis Hutchinson asked if there had been any issues regarding landowners refusing to take responsibility for ash dieback on the trees situated on boundary hedgerows with highways and asked how ownership of the land and tree was confirmed.  The Access and Natural Environment Manager explained that enquiries were made with the landowner, Land Registry, and locally to determine ownership.  In some cases where there was a shared responsibility, or unregistered land regarding boundary trees, the level of risk would take priority in terms of managing a diseased tree.  

The recommendations in the report were moved by Councillor Joe Johnson and seconded by Councillor Dennis Hutchinson.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the report be noted; and

(b)       That the Committee support the officers in their ongoing work associated with Ash Dieback.