NTSG Letter from Minister-LinkedIn Blog-LF

Proportionate Tree Risk Management.

In the light of recent concerns raised in the House of Commons regarding the duty of councils to manage trees for risk, the Minister for the Nature, Mary Creagh CBE MP, has written to Council Leaders to confirm that their duty is to manage risks from trees proportionately, balancing public safety with the many benefits of trees.

The Minister directs Leaders to the National Tree Safety Group for definitive guidance on how to manage tree trees for public safety. A link the the NTSG’s second edition of Common Sense Risk Management of Trees is in the comments.

The Letter from the Minister:

“In 2020, Chris Hall was tragically killed by a falling tree branch while walking in The Carrs Park in Wilmslow, Cheshire. Cheshire East Council, who were responsible for the management of the tree, were found to be liable for his death under the Health and Safety Act and fined £500,000. His wife, Fiona, and son, Sam, have spoken powerfully about their loss and their determination to ensure that no other family experiences the same. The
tragedy which has befallen the Hall family – and others in similar circumstances – is made all the more profound by the fact that it could have been prevented through better management of trees in public spaces.

Local government plays a vital role in safeguarding both public safety and the health of our trees and woodlands. The National Tree Safety Group (NTSG) provides guidance for local authorities on how to manage trees safely. This guidance provides a clear, nationally recognised framework for balancing public safety with the many benefits trees bring to our communities. It sets out a proportionate, evidence-based approach to tree risk management, helping councils and land managers meet their existing legal duties while avoiding unnecessary or overly cautious interventions. This guidance includes recommendations such as:

• Maintaining a reasonable and defensible system of inspection and maintenance appropriate to local circumstances.
• Ensuring that staff and contractors are familiar with the National Tree Safety Group’s guidance, including the need to keep risks as low as reasonably practicable.
• Taking timely action where trees present a foreseeable risk to the public, while continuing to protect and enhance the wider benefits that trees provide.

By applying the NTSG guidance consistently and proportionately, councils can help prevent voidable harm while ensuring that trees continue to provide multiple benefits to the environment, people and place.”