Ealing (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Ealing Liberal Democrats allege Labour-run council is mismanaging tree care, with claims contractors are being paid for incomplete or neglected work.
The Lib Dems claim that residents have expressed concerns to them over the care of trees, particularly the growth of young trees, by contractors hired by Ealing Council.
Trees being planted in sand and neglecting to water freshly planted trees on a regular basis—a crucial chore during their first year, especially during the dry summer months—are among the reports.
In accordance with the council’s watering record system, contractors must put the date of each watering on a pole adjacent to the tree.
However, locals have informed Lib Dems that they have noticed many differences, including the absence of markings on many trees. Backdated entries were allegedly added in certain instances without any irrigation occurring. According to one resident, dates were written on posts.
These worries are similar to those in 2022, when the council fired a previous tree care contractor after several complaints of poor performance were made throughout the borough.
Liberal Democrat Councillor Gary Busuttil, opposition spokesperson on finance and council honesty, said:
“Sadly for residents, Ealing Labour seems to be repeating its failings time and again with no appropriate oversight or management of contractors resulting in a misuse of public funds which are going to line contractors’ pockets for services they do not provide.”
Councillor Busuttil added:
“This is a scandal of epic proportions especially as our council taxes go up every year. Ealing Labour has been in for 15 years and things have simply got worse for residents. This is a sign they have failed their residents as they are not getting the basic services like this right.”
Speaking to EALING.NEWS, an Ealing Council spokesperson countered the Lib Dems. They said:
“Due to the sharp increase in the number of trees planted since 2023, our contractors have faced challenges keeping up with the watering schedule – with over 5,000 trees requiring watering every fortnight. In response to the recent hot and dry weather, we have increased the watering frequency and all street trees are now being watered weekly. Contractors are required to write the date of each visit on the tree stake, which are checked during routine inspections and where they are missing the issue is raised with the contractor and payment may be withheld. Trees that die due to a lack of watering, are replaced at the contractor’s cost, which happened in 16 cases last year and 2 this year.”
He said that they are also grateful to residents who have joined our ‘Ealing Watering Champions’ scheme where more than 200 trees are receiving extra care from local volunteers. Find out more or sign up at www.treesforstreets.org.
They are committed to improving how we manage our contractors and ensuring our trees are well cared for.
How does Ealing Council justify its current tree inspection schedule compared to Lib Dem concerns?
Ealing Council justifies its current tree inspection schedule by conducting routine inspections of all 24,000 street trees on a three-yearly cycle, inspecting up to eight electoral wards each year. These inspections are carried out by trained arboriculturists who identify any defects or hazards and prescribe necessary pruning to manage risks and nuisances.
The Council maintains a Ward Inspection Programme, which is publicly accessible for residents to see when their area will be inspected. This systematic approach aims to balance thorough oversight with practical resource management across the borough’s extensive tree stock
In response to the Liberal Democrats’ concerns about mismanagement—such as payments for incomplete work and inadequate maintenance—the Council emphasizes the structured nature of its inspection regime and ongoing efforts to manage tree safety effectively.