Dear All,
So, in the last petition update yesterday, Friday 21/03/25, I said that we had been asking CCC for hard evidence to justify the felling of the trees and the proportionality of this action since December 2024.
Following Monday's events, in the subsequent meetings with CCC to which we were not invited, we understood that the police and Cllr Magowan reiterated this request and CCC said that they would provide 'something' by the end of the week ie by Friday, 21/03/25. We were not sure what that 'something' was going to be but if it genuinely existed, it would be hard to understand why CCC had not shown it to us previously.
I have to say that nothing has been received by us and I believe that, at the point of writing, Saturday 22/03/2025, no one else has received anything either. I do not know if this has been challenged by anyone other than the Stop the Chop campaign, for example by Cllr Magowan, as someone who has now withdrawn his support for CCC's proposed actions.
We understand that Cllr Magowan was out today campaigning with Luke Pollard, MP for Plymouth and spoke about the Trelawney trees (pictured above, and see link below). Given what happened in Plymouth a few years ago when the Council there chopped down many trees, this is hopefully an issue that Mr Pollard can understand.
Our feeling is that if Cllr Magowan or indeed any Councillor/politician can effect a change on this matter then great. So far however, any change has been effected by the public voice.
As we have said on numerous occasions the real question is how was the decision to fell the trees made in the first place and on what grounds? Where is the communication chain and the hard evidence? How did it go from pruning one root with the Council installing a root barrier in 2022 to felling three healthy trees in 2025.
There should be historic documentation to validate a decision that appears to have been made by CCC in 2024.
So where is it? If it exists, why hasn't it been produced as evidence and importantly, why has CCC failed to give it up this week as they told the police and Councillors they would?
We also asked CCC for time to review and respond to any new communications before any irretrievable damage is done to the trees. By not producing the evidence as promised this week, they have pushed back that time to review and respond. After Monday's attempts to mislead with regard to the ecology report, belief in the Council's integrity is now extremely low.
This week we have submitted formal complaints to the Council and have requested that all works be stopped pending investigations.
We will meet with Inspector Millburn on Monday and put all this to him.
CCC have refused to be accountable to the public to date. We expect more of our elected representatives.
Our trust and confidence in CCC regarding this matter is currently zero.