Letter orchestrated by Labour Party

There is no doubt that this is a political letter orchestrated by the Sheffield Labour Party.

The letter purports to come from a group of independent people but they give themselves away, they just can’t help themselves taking a swipe at Nick Clegg MP and residents of the so- called leafy suburbs.

In a recent Radio Sheffield programme a lot of remarks were made about the cost of altering the Amey contract to retain more trees.

The argument is not about altering the contract but about the way the contract is managed.

Of course the contact provides for the replacement of a percentage of roadside trees.

Tree management has always required along- term view and there must be a plan for the replacement of trees diseased, damaged or reaching the end of their life.

The public anger is not about the Amey contract but the Labour-led council’s refusal to involve the local communities in the decisions about their local trees.

Cabinet member CounTerry Fox, says he is listening to people, however listening is not hearing.

The Labour group are as usual determined to get their own way and I am appalled at the indifference and contempt they appear to show for public opinion.

Despite a barrage of complaints and petitions, 15,000 from The Rustlings Road area, 6,000 from Nether Edge and hundreds of others from across the city.

Surely the numbers alone must tell them they have got something wrong.

Their only response, beside attacking the petitioners, is to set up a so- called tree panel.

Again this tree panel shows Labour’s need to control.

As far as I know the five-person panel contains only one person who can be described as a tree expert.

The panel’s meetings are not open to the public and their decisions are not binding on the council.

Until Coun Fox responds by genuinely involving and consulting with local people, his problem will not go away.

He should remember that 20,000 people are a lot of voters and there is an election due shortly.

Coun David Baker

Lib Dem Group)