Inquiry finds Sheffield council 'misled' the public and the courts in tree-felling saga

An independent inquiry into the Sheffield tree-felling controversy has found that the council misled the public and the courts.

A damning report into the events surrounding the felling of thousands of trees in the city has described the council's behaviour as "a serious and sustained failure of strategic leadership."

Between 2016 and 2018 the dispute made headlines as protests broke out in some of the leafiest suburbs over a controversial programme to cut down trees.

As work started there were a number of arrests as daily confrontations broke out between protestors and contractors.

After two pensioners were arrested during an early morning raid the former deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg described the scenes as more like a well planned anti-terror operation than a morning of tree maintenance.

A yellow ribbon and ‘save me’ message placed by campaigners on a tree on Rivelin Valley Road in Sheffield (Peter Byrne/PA) Credit: PA Archive/PA Images

As his report was published today, the chair of the inquiry, Sir Mark Lowcock, said the council "lacked transparency and repeatedly said things that were economical with the truth, misleading and in some cases were ultimately exposed as dishonest".

He also said the council misled the courts, adding: "The inquiry did not find perjury or criminality but misleading the courts is a serious matter."

The inquiry has been billed as a moment of "truth and reconciliation" for the city and Sir Lowcock, a former United Natons Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, was appointed as chair.

Jarvis Cocker addressing anti-tree felling rally in Sheffield Credit: ITV Yorkshire

The reported looked into the £2.2 billion private finance initiative between Sheffield City Council and the contractor Amey, signed in 2012.

As part of the contract to maintain Sheffield's roads, Amey was tasked with a plan to cut down and replace 17,500 trees.

Sir Lowcock said the council was "surprised" by the opposition and "embarked on a policy of facing down the protests."

As his report was published today, Sir Mark Lowcock said: "The council did not, between 2016 and early 2018, adequately consider whether its strategy of facing down the campaigners would work.

"Nor did it adequately consider whether the increasingly drastic action it was taking, and was seeking from both Amey and the police, was wise.

"It is the inquiry's view that the council stretched the proportionate use of its authority beyond reasonable limits."

Sir Lowcock said the strategic failings began in 2008 when a misinterpretation of a consultant's report that 74% of the city's 35,000 street trees were mature or over-mature led to the 2012 Amey contract including an intention to replace 17,500 trees.

Leaders at Sheffield City Council said they "welcome the report" which will support "the continued healing of the city after this difficult and damaging period in our city’s recent past."

In a joint statement, leader of the council Terry Fox and chief executive Kate Josephs said: "The council has already acknowledged that it got many things wrong in the handling of the street trees dispute, and we wish to reiterate our previous apologies for our failings."

They added: "We have taken huge steps already to ensure past mistakes are not repeated and we hope the release of this report will further help us to learn lessons as we move forward from the dispute.

"We are committed to doing better in the future, to ensure that we are an open, honest and collaborative organisation, as we continue our work with our partners and with the people and communities of Sheffield to create the successful, thriving and inclusive city that we all aspire to."

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