See answers to previous information requests

1. The cost to the council of the management of ash die back during the financial year 2022/23
The Council’s Tree Management Team are responsible for the management and maintenance of Council owned trees located on the Adopted Highway and within Public Open Spaces. Between 2022/23 (and to date) works to all Council owned trees have been issued on a priority basis and only essential H&S works have been carried out. The Tree Management team do not currently record how much has been spent on specific tree ailments or trees suffering from specific disease. With this in mind, we are unable to provide a figure for the management of ash die back for 2022/23.

2. The budgeted/projected cost to the council of the management of ash die back over the next 3 years (from 2023/24)
The Council does not currently have a specific budget for the management of ash die back. The Councils tree maintenance budget is managed to assess the H&S of all Highway and Public Open Space trees and works are issued to trees based on the H&S nature identified at the time of inspections. The Councils Tree Inspection Framework takes into consideration species that are of higher risk and it is agreed that these trees will be subject to a higher inspection frequency. Last year the Council published it’s Tree Strategy that identified 15% of the Councils tree assets were Ash trees. Understanding the potential number of trees that may be impacted by Ash die back will support the Council in managing the risk and associated budget needs going forward however currently, the works required are incorporated within the existing tree maintenance budget.