Council to appoint expert consultant

. TO TRY AND IMPROVE PUBLIC RELATIONS

- By ALISON STEPHENSON

AN engagement and consultation expert is being appointed by Plymouth City Council to improve the way it involves the public regarding major projects.

The council has included it in its action plan following an independent learning review earlier this year into the city centre tree felling fiasco in March 2023.

The review panel of local government experts made 18 recommendations to ensure the council improves how it delivers major projects in the future, after highlighting failings in scrutiny, oversight from senior managers and communications.

They described the Armada Way incident as “a traumatic episode”

The “urgent decision” taken by the former Conservative administration to chop down more than 100 trees in Armada Way as part of the original Armada Way regeneration caused outcry in the community and led to several court hearings and £3.3 million cost to the taxpayer.