Internal review launched into palm tree felling

'Vital lessons need to be learned'

An internal review is under way in Torbay to find out why 40 seafront palm trees were cut down without any warning.

There has been a public outcry since the palms in the Italian Garden on Torquay seafront were felled earlier this month. Torbay Council and its in-house parks and gardens company SWISCo say the 50-year-old trees were decaying and needed replacing.

But local people were stunned to see bare stumps where the trees had been, and are demanding answers over how decisions to axe them were taken, and why there was no public consultation beforehand.

The council has confirmed that an internal review is being carried out to understand the sequence of events.

Councillor Adam Billings (Con, Churston with Galmpton) is the cabinet member for pride in place. He said: “I am confident that once the replacement planting has been completed, the Italian Gardens will once again become a wonderful part of our English Riviera seafront.

“However, as neither I nor any of my cabinet was made aware of the planned works, it is imperative that there is a full understanding of the historical background to the palms’ removal. There are clearly vital lessons that need to be learned.”

The review is expected to conclude in the new year, with the outcomes being publicly available.

Meanwhile, the company that cut down the trees has confirmed that it didn’t ask the council for permission to do it – because it says it didn’t have to.

Despite four directors of SWISCo also being senior council officers – including chief executive Anne-Marie Bond – the company says it didn’t tell officers or cabinet members.

A new garden costing around £30,000 will be developed by next spring, and the removal of the palms is part of preparatory work.

In a new ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ page on its website, SWISCo has explained why leading councillors were in the dark when quizzed over the felling.

“No officers or current cabinet members were made aware, or gave any instruction around the commencement of the work,” it says.

“The company was set up to deliver services for the council in a way that meant it did not need to ask formal permission to undertake works to parks and gardens, including replacement planting in Torbay.”

SWISCo has also given details of the consultations which took place ahead of the work.

It says informal discussions took place with community group Abbey Park Friends and the Torbay Chamber of Commerce four years ago.

It goes on: “Our error was not carrying out the work itself, but in failing to carry out a new consultation with the council prior to commencing the work.

“We have taken full responsibility for this error, together with the assurance that we will take on board the community’s comments as to how to create an Italian Garden Torbay can be proud of.”

The next stage will be to dig out the stumps of the felled palms and then putting in 16,000 new plants. The new design will include several ‘cabbage’ palms such as those taken down.