Green councillors are calling for a vote of ‘no confidence’ in the council leadership, after concerns about the heavy-handed and authoritarian nature of the tree-felling raid on Rustlings Road on 17th November.

The call comes after embarrassment in national media when two 70-year-old residents were arrested in the dawn raid for protesting their wish to see the trees stay.  They were amongst 59 out of 65 householders who voted for the trees to remain.

Speaker for the Green Group, Cllr Rob Murphy, said,

“This incident has brought further damage to the city council’s already tarnished reputation.”

“This is an opportunity for members of the council to show that they believe things have gone too far.”

“We believe it’s important for the council to regain trust and do not believe the current leadership has credibility with the public.”

The motion will come to the full meeting of Sheffield City Council at 2pm on Wednesday 7th December.

Notes

1. The Council agenda is available at: http://sheffielddemocracy.moderngov.co.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?MId=6354&x=1
2. The  Green Party motion is:That this council:

   a)    Notes that the Sheffield City Highways tree survey in 2006-07 identified 25,877 mature and over-mature trees, of which only 1000 needed felling

   b)    Notes that 59 out of 65 residents of Rustlings Road disagreed with proposals to fell trees on their own street

   c)    Notes that the council’s Independent Tree Panel advised options other than felling for 6 out of 8 trees.

   d)    Notes that this report, dated 22 July 2016, was only published at 4.25am on the morning the trees were felled.

   e)    Notes that the Cabinet member for Environment nevertheless authorised the felling of these trees in a major police-backed operation in the early hours of the morning, causing alarm and distress to residents of Rustlings Road.

   f)     Apologises on behalf of the council for the alarm and distress to local residents on Rustlings Rd for the action of the council and its partners on Thursday 17 November, 2016 and believes these actions did not have the support of the members of the council.

   g)    And therefore resolves that this Council has no confidence in the leadership of the current Administration.