Pollarding is essential due to health and safety risk and is good value says council

The cost of pollarding the 65 lime trees, which line the avenue through the town centre park, has been quoted at £19,562. In addition, six new benches will be installed around the boating pond, to replace the three existing ones, at a cost of £602 per bench.
While there are some funds available in the council’s repair and maintenance budget, it was agreed that £20,000 could be taken from reserves to cover the costs at a meeting of its community services committee on Monday.
However, speaking at the public meeting on Monday night, services manager Granville Taylor said the council had made every effort to get the best value for money, stating that in Kingston the council faced costs of more than £1,200 [for the benches].
On the pollarding, he added: “This work is essential. Pollarding trees is normally done every 10 years and we are well overdue.
“There’s a safety issue for the public... the lime trees are down the avenue where the public walk.”
He added that, in addition to the safety risk, the work needed to be carried out before March to avoid disruption to the bird-nesting season.
“We went out to tender to get the best value for money and we believe we have done that,” he said. “We are talking about 65 lime trees – that’s a significant number. We feel that £20,000 is good value.”
The leader of the council, Julian Swift-Hook (Lib Dem, Pyle Hill) added: “It’s obviously regrettable when we encounter unexpected expenditure but that’s exactly what the reserves are there for.
“It needs to be dealt with... it’s £307 a tree. When you look at the work that’s going to be done, I think its good value for money.”