Dear Sir,

At this time of year, local authorities are setting budgets which will equate to the amount of council tax everyone pays.

Councillors are always looking to see if they can find examples of wastage within the various departments. Let’s cut the things we don’t need to do and save everyone a bit of money.

One such example fell onto my lap this morning.

The Environmental Design section of New Forest District Council posted to myself , (and presumably all other Councillors in my area),a four page letter informing us that a Tree Preservation Order was being revoked.

On closer inspection, I learn that the reason for the revocation order is that the tree concerned was felled 18 years ago, apparently because it was then found to be dead or dying!

Quite what I’m supposed to do with this important piece of information rather escapes me. Do they think I feel the need to keep paper records of the preservation status of every tree in my ward, stretching back over the last 30 years?

It seems we are chopping down trees, to make paper, to print on and post, to tell us about trees that died 18 years ago. Hmmm........

Yours Sincerely,

Cllr. David Harrison,
New Forest Liberal Democrats
25 Rushington Avenue,
Totton,
Hants S040 9DD
Tel 02380 864500
6th February 2008