Inquiry into Armada tree felling 'is just box-ticking'

FORMER CITY COUNCILLORS RAISE THEIR CONCERNS

- ANDY PHILLIPS

FORMER Plymouth City Councillors have written of their concern that a forthcoming inquiry into the decision to cut down trees on Armada Way risks being a 'box-ticking exercise' to satisfy High Court demands - and with little to no engagement with protesters.

In response, Plymouth City Council said it is unhelpful to 'pre-empt the process before it has even begun!

An Independent Learning Inquiry (ILR) is to take place to look into the decision to fell 109 trees on Armada Way last year, with Plymouth City Council leader Tudor Evans this week insisting the authority is "determined to learn and be better in the future".

While a judicial review into the decision by the then leader Richard Bingley was dismissed by the High Court, the authority pledged to hold the review and provide an undertaking to the court over its terms.

Those Terms of Reference (TOR) which will decide what is discussed and who takes part- were outlined by Plymouth City Council this week.

However, they have led to concern from several former councillors one a Conservative and one who served under Labour.