A LEADING Conservative councillor has raised concerns over the “massacre” of trees in her Carlisle ward.

Elizabeth Mallinson, who represents Stanwix on both the city and council council, was responding to a report showing that the county council has set aside £30,000 from its capital budget for “minor tree works” on the road network.

Officers insisted that the 3,000 trees across the city in the ownership of the top tier authority are routinely inspected with works only undertaken in accordance with advice by a professional arboriculturist or tree surgeon.

But speaking at a meeting of the county council’s local committee, Mrs Mallinson said: “I appreciate there are issues across the city with trees that are overgrown and it’s very difficult as a councillor to ascertain whether they are Highways’ or city council trees because sometimes there is that grey area.

“My concern is we tend to be rather enthusiastic about sorting out minor tree works as a county. In fact, I would like to say that trees have been massacred.

“It is something that is very challenging to residents. If they are dangerous, fine, but in certain cases they just want some TLC and pruning.

“They don’t want to be cut right down to ground level. And they take a long time to grown and they are the lungs of the city and I think that’s important to know.”

Gareth Scott, of the Highways Department, said that the council was aware of the trees under their care and ownership. He also stressed that tree-related issues could be “difficult to solve” in those cases in which their care fell under the jurisdiction of the city council or where there was confusion over land ownership.

"The county the council is now dealing with trees classed as “dead, dying or diseased” but will shortly be moving into the second phase which will see specialists working on trees that require “a bit of TLC”.

A tree report is due to be presented to the next Highways and Transport Working Group setting out the county council’s long-term management plan.