Street tree protesters campaign to force Sheffield Council resignations following inquiry

The findings of a long-awaited inquiry seeking “truth and reconciliation” following the infamous Streets Ahead programme that aimed to fell 17,500 street trees as part of a £2.2 billion contract between the council and Amey was published last week.

The report showed the council overstretched its authority in taking drastic action against campaigners, had serious and sustained failures in leadership and misled the public, courts and an independent panel it set up to deal with the dispute.

Campaigners who fought against the fellings are holding vigils today before protesting outside the Town Hall ahead of a strategy and resources committee meeting on Wednesday.

Former councillor Alison Teal, who was dealt an injunction by the council for protesting when she was a councillor, said: “Given the scale of the damage to public trust and the urban environment along with the significant trauma, stress and financial harm to campaigners, the council leadership cannot be surprised to learn that we are deeply distressed to know that despite the truth coming out, it seems no one is willing to take responsibility for the serious harms inflicted on so many people, and the thousands of healthy trees felled for no good reason.”

Protesters will gather between 12 and 2pm on Wednesday.

Council leader Terry Fox, who was head of the tree felling programme during 2015/16, will be making a statement in the meeting about the inquiry and agreeing a timetable for the council’s response.

Campaigners called on Coun Fox and Coun Bryan Lodge, who is now chair of the finance committee but was head of the tree felling programme during the height of the fiasco, to resign.

Coun Fox said he would not be resigning and he declined Coun Lodge’s offer to resign.

Kate Josephs, chief executive of the council, said last week it had not yet been decided if there would be any disciplinary action against anyone at the council, saying most of those involved had left.

Snowpeople were spotted across the city over the weekend holding signs supporting the campaign, which is called #SorryNotSorry.