Runnymede Council’s Refusal to Support Tree Petition Labelled ‘Shameful’

Published on: 16 Mar, 2026
Updated on: 17 Mar, 2026

By Chris Caulfield

local democracy reporter

Runnymede Borough Council’s “lack of ambition” in supporting environmental volunteers has been called “shameful” after a petition to plant trees on its land was recommended for refusal.

Members of the Englefield Green Village Neighbourhood Forum had presented a petition calling on the council to let volunteers plant trees and hedges on selected council-owned sites.

This week the borough came back with its response – saying it would be too much for already stretched staff and could lead to unintended consequences and unforeseen costs.

The decision angered members of the community services committee at their meeting on Wednesday, March 11. They called on the council to cut needless red tape and create a dedicated tree planting policy that would free officer time and let committed volunteers help Runnymede.

The committee also rejected officer recommendations to refuse the petitioners and voted instead to defer a formal decision in the hope it buys time to put things right.

The petition read: “Runnymede Borough Council to approve the planting and maintenance of trees and hedges by voluntary groups on selected land owned by Runnymede Borough Council in accordance with the Runnymede Climate Change and Nature Action Plan.”

The council was also concerned about potential financial liability should volunteers disband or be unable to continue maintaining planted trees and hedgerows.

They added that upcoming local government reorganisation could pose future issues over maintaining land no longer under Runnymede Borough Council’s jurisdiction.

Cllr Andrea Berardi

Cllr Andrea Berardi (Ind, Englefield Green East) said: “I am extremely disappointed by this report and its recommendations.

“It’s really shameful that this council can’t support community groups in environmental initiatives, we need more trees everywhere, including on council land.

“Trees will protect us from heatwaves, they will mitigate against flooding, they provide biodiversity.

“We have been repeatedly told that the council does not have any money to do its own pre-planting and we have a very embarrassing target of planting 20 trees a year.

“This would seem the obvious solution. You have many other councils that are bending over backwards to support voluntary planting.

“I find it a tragedy that we use the excuse that we are moving into a new local authority as the main reason that we can’t implement this when we could be demonstrating leadership in this area and establishing a policy of community involvement in tree planting.

“It’s a lack of ambition, lack of foresight and lack of thinking for our future.

“I am very saddened by this recommendation and I won’t support it.”

Cllr Dolsie Clarke

His comments were backed by Cllr Dolsie Clarke (Con, Chertsey St Anns), who added that it was a “great shame” and that the council “should be nurturing volunteers, not turning them away.

She said “I think it’s really sad.”

Officers said the committee had a long track record of supporting community groups, and had already distributed tens of thousands of pounds in grants earlier in the night’s meeting.

However the specific wording of the petition “effectively opened up” all areas of the borough and could pose major headaches.

Cllr Berardi called instead for a “dedicated policy that would save officer time from having to give bespoke advice.

Adding: “Ultimately what we need is a policy that will allow community groups to take over land to do tree planting where appropriate. It’s as simple as that.”

The petition will be considered at the committee’s next meeting, currently scheduled for June 17.