Full 49k cost of Peterborough City Council's decision to fell Bretton oak tree revealed

Peterborough City Council spent almost £49,000 to fell a 600-year-old oak tree in Blind Lane, Bretton - a Peterborough Telegraph investigation has revealed.

A freedom of information request revealed a breakdown in costs totalling close to £44,000 but upon asking the council for clarification, the figure was given to be £49,000.

The tree was removed last month after a long-running battle between campaigners and the city council.

A decision that cost the council over £20,000 in tree surgery alone for just three days work.

In order to not be liable for repair costs to the house, the council sided with PRI Insurance Services and a nearby homeowner who claimed that the roots of the ancient oak were causing damage to the foundations of the house.

The council estimated these repair and legal fees could run into hundreds of thousands of pounds and also rejected the idea of installing root barriers.

After a last-ditch bid to stop the felling in county court was rejected, workers moved into begin the felling on June 29.

RELATED: Bretton oak tree: Hopes dashed for protesters as court dismisses petition to save tree

A section of Blind Lane was closed and fenced off, a move that alone cost the council over £2200. A large number of police officers, security guards and dog handlers were brought in too as protestors gathered at the tree to try and prevent its removal.

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For the first two days of the felling, security officers from Business Watch were present- a decision costing the council a further £2356 on top of the £504 paid for the dog handlers. Even hiring and installing the fence cost £1510.

Costs were further inflated by the County Court hearing, which cost the council over £8000, but the council was awarded £5000 by the judge after he dismissed the petition to challenge felling the tree; stating he did not have the adequate jurisdiction to deal with the matter.

The full breakdown of costs is as follows:

Legal fees

Advice on highways matter- £2500

Advice- £2500

Advice via email- £250

Brief on hearing- £4000

Costs to defends challenges in court- £4039.90

Felling costs

Tree surgeon costs

June 29- £9523.76

June 30- £5423.66

July 1- £5423.66

Fence hire, instillation and removal- £1510.75

Cost to erect closure signage and diversion (2 days)- £313.72

Fees to create temporary traffic regulation notice- £700

Security officers (2 days)- £2536.80

Dog handlers- £504

Bird nesting and bat surveys- £346.78

Climbed bat inspection- £336

Third independent structural engineers report- £1620

Insurance legal fees- £2200

Total: £43,709.03

Deputy Mayor Nick Sandford called for an enquiry into the process that led to the felling of the tree but this has been rejected by the council.

Councillor Nigel Simons, cabinet member for Peterborough City Council, said: "The decision to fell Bretton Oak tree was not one that we took lightly. Although the felling was expensive, the alternative could have cost the council hundreds of thousands of pounds in repairs and legal fees. It would also have meant that the council had no money to plant additional trees in the city or maintain its existing tree stock.

"Originally it would have cost £8,000 to fell the tree and plant additional trees. However, the total cost was much higher (£49,000) as it included legal fees and security etc needed on the day to manage the protest safely.”

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