Wyndham council has apologised to residents of a Tarneit street for mistakenly cutting down trees along their nature strips.
In a question from the public gallery at the Tuesday night’s council meeting, Tarneit resident Monica Dewhurst asked why council had lopped trees along Prominence Boulevard, despite previously threatening to fine anyone who touched them.
Ms Dewhurst said residents had earlier written to council asking for the trees to be trimmed as their leaves and branches hung at eye level and poked pedestrians walking on the footpath, in the eye.
She wanted to how council could go from warning residents not to touch the trees, to then completely removing them.
“Please explain why the council has now cut down those very trees thereby removing all the shade these trees offered, dislocating the bees and now residents have nothing but concrete which does nothing to mitigate the high temperature, it actually increases the heat,” Ms Dewhurst asked.
In response, Wyndham council CEO Stephen Wall admitted fault.
“The trees were absolutely lopped in error,” Mr Wall told the meeting.
“All I can do tonight is apologise for the impact that it’s had on local residents.”
Mr Wall said a review of the process leading up to the tree lopping was underway to ensure the error wasn’t repeated.
Cade Lucas.
