Public told Poplars to be felled in September

1.56.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 9th Sep 2008

A public meeting was held at Stanborough Lakes at 6.30pm on Thursday August 7th 2008 (meet in the South (Water sports) Car Park) so that the public could see the issue first hand and talk through the proposals with Finesse Leisure and representatives from the Council. Finesse Leisure lease the property from the council and are responsible for the trees. The public were told that a decision had been made to fell the trees. Residents objected vehemently, as they wished to be part of any decision. The report saying the trees should be felled was linked with a company who were tendering for the work. The public felt that an independent assessment was desirable. Councillor Tony Skottowe of the Libdems promised all those at the meeting that he would investigate and that if a decision had been made to fell the trees, he would call this in, and would call in the matter for scrutiny. An action committee was formed by Dr Dennis Lewis and others. It has now turned out that the facts presented at the meeting were incorrect and there is no decision to be called in. This is another example of poor communication within the council.

Below is a statement made by the Conservative Councillor Clare Berry 9.53am, 22 July 2008

"Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council and Finesse Leisure will be working together to remove and replant trees in the car parks at Stanborough Park. The felling of the trees is proposed to take place in September 2008. Your views are welcome on this and should you have any concerns or questions, a public meeting will be held at Stanborough Lakes on Thursday 7 August at 6.30pm."

Despite this statement, it appears their has been a u-turn, and it is no longer being treated as a foregone conclusion that the trees will be felled. It is great to hear the public will now be consulted. However, the full statement saying that the trees will be felled is still on the council's website, at:

On the council's website, there was a statement saying that the decision has been made to fell the trees:

"...the council, in partnership with Finesse Leisure Partnership, who manage the site on the council's behalf, has decided to remove the trees."

The council now say there was no decision, and that Clare Berry was not authorised to make a decision..