Felling: Shock at council 'secrecy'

TWO former Labour councillors have written of their concern over the way in which the authority planned a military-style operation to ensure the felling of trees on Armada Way last year.

- ANDY PHILLIPS

Mike Sheaff and Jan Millar, who both represented Labour on the city council between 1991 and 2000, have put their names to a letter which condemns plans outlined in documents submitted to the High Court as part of a judicial review into the decision to fell the trees.

While the case was thrown out of court and described by High Court Deputy Judge David Elvin as ‘academic’, the nature of the plans have shocked campaigners.

As revealed by The Herald this week, council officers held several meetings to plan out the operation of tree-felling to ensure it could not be challenged by protesters.

The former city councillors have written that they were ‘shocked’ to hear of the use of an urgency protocol, which meant it could not be called-in or stopped by legal means.

Mike Sheaff was Labour city councillor for Keyham from 19912000 and Chair of Social Services Committee from 1997-2000, while Jan Millar was Labour city councillor for Stoke between 1991-2000 and Chair of the Planning Committee from 1994 to 2000.