The Sheffield 'Chainsaw Massacre'

In 2012, Sheffield (Yorkshire, England) Council signed a 25-year contract with outsourcing firm Amey. The £1.2bn Private Finance Initative deal, included the removal and replacement of 17,500 trees lining the city's streets. The 'old' trees were accused of 'having the wrong kind of leaves' for easy street cleaning, breaking up pavements (sidewalks) etc. Many of Sheffield's residents were horrified at the prospect of losing 'well-loved', mature, healthy trees and tried to protect them. An independent inquiry has now ruled that the felling of thousands of healthy trees was unnecessary. The inquiry also found the 'deluded' councillors behaved dishonestly. The inquiry concluded that the council destroyed public trust, whilst mishandling this long dispute (https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/mar/06/sheffield-city-council-behaved-dishonestly-in-street-trees-row-inquiry-finds). One of the most bizzare episodes occurred in Autumn (Fall) 2016. At 04:45, council contractors dragged residents out of their beds, to move their parked cars. This was so they could begin felling trees, before any protestors arrived. Over a number of years, people protecting the trees were arrested. The council even admonished the local police for not arresting more folk (around 50% of those arrested were found 'not guilty' by courts). The council also applied for an injunction against one of its own members. She was a Green party member, who objected to the tree felling. They took her to court for 'a breach of the injunction' (meeting 'protestors'?). She was also found 'not guilty' by the courts. This entire episode is a very sorry tale. Effectively, an elected council, for essentially cosmetic purposes, lied and tried to ride roughshod over the views of residents in its own city. Cities need trees, preferably mature ones!