The Green Party's parliamentary candidate for Brent Central, Shaka Lish, has challenged Brent Council about the felling of trees in Gladstone Park.
Accusing Brent Council of an act of 'wilful vandalism' she asked, 'What is the point of cutting down our beautiful, healthy, ancient trees?' She asked if the Council had any plans to replace them.
At the recent Brent Clean Air meeting at the Civic Centre, Brent Council leader Muhammed Butt, extolled the benefits of trees to combat air pollution but a closer examination shows this may be no more than hot air.
A Freedom of Information request by Wembley Matters LINK established that Brent Council keeps no records of trees lost, felled and replaced in its parks and that none of the 62 trees removed on Brent Housing Partnership estates Jan 1st-Dec 31st 2016 had been replaced.
Parks maintenance is contracted out to Veolia as part of the Public Realm contract and Gristwood and Toms is contracted to deal with trees over a specific height.
It's ironic given all the above that Brent Council has received a Forestry Commission London's Trees and Woodland Award LINK:
Borough Tree Award - Brent Council Tree Planting Project, Sudbury Town, Barn Hill, Harlesden and Kensal Green
The Trees and Development Award: Wembley Park – Arena Square and Wembley Park Boulevard. Market Square (meantime planting). Quintain, London Borough of Brent