Battle lines drawn as Wellingborough town councillors 'demand' to see tree felling decision evidence during packed passionate meeting

Wellingborough residents opposed to the felling of historic trees crammed into a school hall for last night’s (Thursday’s) extraordinary meeting called by the town council.

It’s the first time the chopping of the much-loved heritage trees has been debated by councillors since December 2015 – town, borough or unitary – in front of members of the public.

Given that opportunity, more than 220 people, many whom have been protesting in The Walks in London Road for three weeks, patiently listened and occasionally interjected as mayor of Wellingborough and Wellingborough Town Council (WTC) chairman Cllr Jonathan Ekins navigated the agenda.

Welcoming the public he urged them to ‘be polite and civil’ and warned against ‘heckling’ and promised: “We are not going to gag anybody.”

Item one, apologies for absence, revealed six councillors were not attending prompting spontaneous shouts of ‘shame on them’ from some observers.

Councillors who serve on both WTC and North Northants Council (NNC) declared their interests. Cllr Matt Binley and Cllr Jon-Paul Carr said serving on both councils could be a ‘conflict of interest’. Cllr Ken Harrington, Cllr Valerie Anslow and Cllr Jonathan Ekins said for them it would not.

Several councillors spoke of their shock learning the fate of the trees, just one week before felling work began, at a site meeting on February 9, 2023 after developers Vistry invited a handful of NNC Wellingborough-area ward councillors.

One of those present at the site meeting – Cllr Graham Lawman, in his capacity as executive member for highways, travel and assets for NNC – is also leader of WTC.

He was singled out by council veteran and fellow Conservative Cllr Ken Harrington.

Cllr Harrington, who sits on NNC’s Wellingborough area planning committee, said: “I was in a meeting a week before it was said they would cut down 61 trees (with Cllr G Lawman) and he said nothing. Nobody did or said anything. He should stand down in my view.”

He added: “I have had phone calls to try to stop me from coming here tonight.”

Wellingborough Town Council’s clerk outlined efforts to access documents showing plans, maps and decisions made after the planning process was turned over to ‘reserved matters’ in December 2015 by now disbanded Borough Council of Wellingborough (BCW).

In the intervening seven years and three months, plans for Wellingborough’s Eastern Relief Road, part of the £1bn Stanton Cross development, have moved on led by successive planning authorities (BCW and NNC) and developer Vistry Group.

In 2015 those on the BCW planning committee were told 11 trees would go to allow for Route 2 – including a remodelled roundabout at the junction of The Embankment, London Road and Turnells Mill Lane – into the huge new housing estate. On February 9, they were told 61 trees would go.

Cllr Andrew Scarborough described the news of the felling as a ‘thunderbolt’.

He said: “The bulk of these trees to be felled are not on Route 2. They are nowhere near the junction. Someone is simply not telling the whole truth. We knew Route 2 would cost 11 trees. All Wellingborough Town Council has asked is for an audit trail (from NNC). We’ve been told to go away because it’s ‘alright’. But it’s not ‘alright’.”

The biggest cheer of the night was reserved for Cllr Marion Turner-Hawes who has galvanised opposition to the loss of the 61 trees and has sought a legal solution to the felling.

In statements NNC and Vistry have explained the tree clearance work is being carried out in Vistry’s role as ‘statutory undertaker’, powers given for utility work. Under those powers Tree Preservation Orders (TPO) placed on the lime trees in 2016 by BCW would be overruled.

She said: “If we had waited for that reply (from NNC) all 61 trees would have been felled. We have been asking NNC and Vistry the grounds under which they are claiming statutory undertakers. We have asked for those and still haven’t heard. Unless that evidence is provided this work is not exempt and therefore the TPO is still in place.

"This is NNC’s responsibility for the TPO signed off by the Borough Council of Wellingborough. They are in the frame. I call on them to do the right thing for the community.”

With invitations to attend the meeting being declined by two key players NNC and developers Vistry Group, questions from the public were directed at those in the room.

Each impassioned verbal and written question requested answers to the community’s concerns.

Cllr Ekins responded to the disbelief and anger.

He said: “None of us knew that any of those trees were coming down. At that meeting the pin was pulled – it went nuclear. We are trying to find out on your behalf the information. We are asking with all the powers we have.”

To allow a motion put forward by Cllr Turner-Hawes and Cllr Valerie Anslow standing orders were suspended – the meeting had gone beyond its allocated two hours.

Introducing the three-part motion Cllr Anslow questioned NNC’s refusal to pass over relevant documents.

She said: “As NNC is refusing to give us (audit trail of documents) the actions are suspect.”

An amendment by Cllr Turner-Hawes to include a commitment for the town council to consider legal action was not backed. At one point Cllr Binley cited a conflict of interest and stood behind a blue curtain.

Eventually the meeting came to a confused end with the majority of councillors passing the motion:

Wellingborough Town Council agrees …

(1) to demand that NNC supply a clear and transparent audit trail of all planning and highways decisions concerning Route 2 and ‘The Walks’ by the end of March 2023

(2) to commit to taking all necessary steps within its powers to safeguard all the protected trees in The Walks in Wellingborough.

(3) to create a town-wide Tree Preservation Policy and work with the local community and partners to identify and apply for Tree Preservation Orders for all significant Wellingborough Trees.

A spokesman for WTC said: “The Town Council would like to thank everyone who attended the meeting last night and for the excellent questions submitted. These concerns will all be included in the letters to Vistry and North Northamptonshire (Council) to understand works for Route 2.”