Tree felling: petition calls for Sheffield Council leader and chair of finance to resign

Calls to oust Sheffield Council leader Terry Fox and senior councillor Bryan Lodge following the shocking tree felling inquiry have ramped up with the launch of a petition.
Molly Williams
By Molly Williams
Published 31st Mar 2023, 10:04 BST
Updated 31st Mar 2023, 10:04 BST
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It follows the findings of a long-awaited inquiry seeking “truth and reconciliation” following the infamous Streets Ahead programme that aimed to fell 17,500 street trees as part of a £2.2 billion contract between the council and Amey.

The report showed the council overstretched its authority in taking drastic action against campaigners, had serious and sustained failures in leadership and misled the public, courts and an independent panel it set up to deal with the dispute.

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Both senior councillors were head of the tree felling programme.

Tree campaigners are still pushing for Sheffield Council leaders to resign over the tree felling debacle after days of protests and a heated meeting in which they repeatedly told them to go.Tree campaigners are still pushing for Sheffield Council leaders to resign over the tree felling debacle after days of protests and a heated meeting in which they repeatedly told them to go.
Tree campaigners are still pushing for Sheffield Council leaders to resign over the tree felling debacle after days of protests and a heated meeting in which they repeatedly told them to go.

Coun Fox led the scheme for a year between 2015 and 2016 before Coun Lodge, who is now chair of the finance committee, took over during the most controversial years between 2016 and 2018.

Brett Davison started a petition on the council’s website calling for them both to “take responsibility” and resign.

He said: “After the report into tree felling in Sheffield, and it becoming clear councillors lied and misled the public, they should take responsibility for their actions, show some decency for once and resign because they can no longer be trusted.”

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Calls for the councillors to resign came immediately after the findings of the inquiry were published and protests took place outside the Town Hall.

Speaking to the councillors in a meeting, Annette Taberner, tree campaigner, said: “You keep talking about ‘we’ are going forward, we don’t want to go forward with you because we have no trust in you, we have no faith in you – you are a symbol of what has happened to people in this city…

“It’s too late to apologise to four of my friends who were members of the campaign, they are dead. They gave the last years of their lives to try and stop the destruction of our trees. You can’t apologise to them. We have been to their funerals. We know they are not here any more. It’s too late.

“This is only reflective of a tiny bit of the anger that is out there.”

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Coun Fox said he would not resign and declined Coun Lodge’s offer to resign.

The petition can be found on the council’s website here: https://democracy.sheffield.gov.uk/mgEPetitionDisplay.aspx?ID=10284&RPID=10928499&HPID=10928499

Related topics:Terry FoxSheffield Council