Tag Archives: trees

Police to cease use of trade union laws against tree protesters

South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner Dr Alan Billings has confirmed that trade union laws will no longer be used in the police response to tree protesters. The news comes two weeks after charges were dropped against nine protesters including Alison Teal, councillor for Nether Edge and Sharrow, who were arrested on suspicion of preventing Amey workers from felling a tree on Chippinghouse Road. Those arrested were charged with preventing lawful work under section 241 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations Act 1992. The charges have since been dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service due to lack of evidence. Baillor Jalloh reports for Sheffield Live!

Tree charity suspends work in Sheffield

Tree planting charity, Trees for Cities, has said it is suspending all funding, support, and activity in Sheffield due to concerns with the council’s tree felling programme. The UK charity works internationally to promote greener cities and has planted more than 25,000 trees in Sheffield over the last ten years. Baillor Jalloh reports for Sheffield Live!

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Councillor speaks out after tree protest charges droppped.

Charges against nine campaigners, including a Green Party councillor, arrested over a tree-felling protest have been dropped. Alison Teal, councillor for Nether-Edge and Sharrow, was with six others arrested on suspicion of preventing workmen from chopping down a tree on Chippinghouse Road on 6 February. The protestors were arrested under Section 241 of the Trade Union amd :Labour Relations Act 1982 and charged with preventing lawful work. The charges were dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service who said there was “insufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction”. Baillor Jalloh reports for Sheffield Live!

Arbourthorne pupils help plant new trees in Sheffield parks

Children from Arbourthorne Community Primary School left the classroom to learn on the job and help plant new trees in community parks across south east Sheffield. The tree planting session is part of a project to add new ‘urban woodlands’ with a total of 7,500 trees to be planted at Kenninghall Bank, Fox Lane Recreation Ground and Pipworth Recreation Ground. The Lord Mayor, Councillor Denise Fox, put on her wellies to help volunteers from Sheffield City Council’s Community Forestry Team. Trees being planted are a mix of native woodland species including English Oak, Hazel, Field Maple, Spindle, Hawthorn and Blackthorn. The trees will be young “bare root whips”, two to three years in age, so they can grow with the community around them. Simon Thake reports for Sheffield Live!

Save Nether Edge Trees report highlights needless felling

The Save Nether Edge Trees group have published results of detailed analysis into Nether Edge trees scheduled to be felled by Council contractors, Amey. There are 1095 street trees on adopted roads in the S7 area and 172 of them are threatened with felling. The area covered by the analysis is bounded by Brincliffe Edge Road, Sandford Grove Road, Marden Road, Abbeydale Road, Sharrow Lane, and Psalter Lane. The research was carried out by Paul Selby who concludes only fourteen of the trees actually require felling. Simon Thake reports for Shefield Live!

Sheffield tree campaigners protest outside Town Hall

Two hundred people gathered outside Sheffield Town Hall to protest against the Council’s tree felling programme before a Council debate on the issue. Members of Sheffield Tree Action Group and Save Our Roadside Trees addressed protesters ahead of the full council meeting which debated a Green Party tabled motion of ‘no confidence’. Sheffield Live! reporter Sham Powell spoke with former Green Party leader Natalie Bennett.

 

Chainsaws before dawn as residents wake to police-backed tree felling operation

Residents in Rustlings Road were awoken before 6am as Sheffield City Council contractors arrived with a police escort as part of a controversial tree felling programme. Home owners and occupants, many of whom have campaigned to save the trees, were awoken by police knocking on their doors to remove vehicles from the road as Amey contractors arrived in a surprise nighttime operation. Three people were reported to have been arrested as furious residents sought to prevent the work going ahead. Sheffield Hallam MP, Nick Clegg expressed outrage at the Council’s action. Azz Mohammed reports for Sheffield Live!