Lambeth Labour Play Political Games With Tree Cover

In last year’s Lambeth local elections, the Liberal Democrats stood on a platform of increasing tree cover across the borough, in line with the national Lib Dem pledge to double tree cover in the UK. 

The Liberal Democrat campaign, which saw them win three council seats from Labour, has had the desired effect. Having been responsible for a net loss of 377 trees across Lambeth during their 2018 - 2022 administration, Lambeth Labour announced in October that they planned to plant 600 trees before May 2023.  

Cllr Donna Harris, Leader of the Lambeth Liberal Democrat Council Group, said, “The Lib Dem group welcomes the increase in tree planting within Lambeth, however Lambeth Labour’s timeline is already falling short, and we have grave concerns over the amount of mature trees that are being lost and felled. Transparency is what is needed here, ensuring the loss of established or mature trees should only happen as a last resort. The value of these trees is immeasurable to our community, they protect us from ‘The Urban Island’ effect whilst supporting biodiversity and our wellbeing.” 

Further scrutiny, brought about through a Members’ Enquiry from Liberal Democrat Group Leader Councillor Donna Harris, revealed that non-Labour wards were being largely overlooked by the Labour administration.  

One Labour-held ward, Herne Hill & Loughborough Junction, was set to receive 102 new trees. Meanwhile, Lambeth Labour’s planned tree-planting programme includes just one new tree for the Liberal Democrat ward of Streatham Hill West & Thornton, and two new trees for Clapham Common & Abbeville ward, which is represented by one Liberal Democrat and one Labour Councillor. 

Cllr Ben Curtis, who represents the Liberal Democrats in Clapham Common & Abbeville, said, “In the midst of a climate crisis, securing street trees should not be as challenging as it is. Street trees and fauna are invaluable tools in the climate fight – and the pace of planting should be progressing faster. We cannot afford to delay action.”   

The number of new trees planted is dramatically outweighed by the number lost to disease and storms in the two Liberal Democrat wards. A further Members’ Enquiry by Councillor Donna Harris revealed that Clapham Common & Abbeville ward has lost 61 trees to disease and storms in the past 24 months, while Streatham Hill West & Thornton ward has lost 19 trees. 

Cllr Harris said, “Lambeth Labour is playing political games when it comes to tree cover. While we Liberal Democrat councillors are fighting for every tree, the Labour administration is treating them as electoral currency. Each and every resident in Lambeth has a right to clean air and hospitable built environment and the Liberal Democrats will continue to hold Lambeth Labour to account and demand a net gain, not a net loss!” 

In their 2022 manifesto, Lambeth Labour promised to plant 5,000 new trees in four years. However, they are on track to miss their target by two years, having planted just 811 in the twelve months since the last local elections.