Dear Members and Supporters
The new committee aims to provide regular updates, which we hope you will find helpful.
We would like to invite all members and supporters to a STAG Development Meeting at Sharrow Community Forum on Saturday, September 13th, from 2 to 5 p.m.
Our next committee meeting is scheduled for Monday, 18th August. The time will likely be early evening, and the location is not yet fixed, but please let us know if you would like to observe. We will also publish the information on the STAG Members Discussion group for those on Facebook.
Members on Facebook will be aware that one of our committee members published a post regarding her resignation several weeks ago. We want to thank Ann Anderson for her years of service on the committee.
This newsletter covers:
- 10th Anniversary of STAG 2025
- Apologies to undertakers
- Sheffield Street Tree Partnership (SSTP) Meeting 22/07/25
- Suspension of Code of Conduct procedures – further information
10th Anniversary of STAG 2025
STAG was established in 2015, and Dave Dillner, who led its formation, has suggested that we celebrate its 10th anniversary. Dave and the committee are organising an event, most likely to take place in mid-November. Please get in touch with us if you are interested in contributing or have ideas on how we can mark and/or celebrate this milestone.
Apologies to undertakers
In July 2017, during the peak of the tree campaign, approximately 15 campaigners were coerced into signing an agreement with Sheffield City Council not to undertake any actions that would pre-vent street trees from being felled. This included a restriction on encouraging or advising others to take direct action. Those who signed became known as ‘undertakers’.
Others who didn’t sign were taken to the High Court to defend against injunction proceedings. This was a daunting task, as legal advice indicated that the potential costs and damages could be substantial.
Information surfaced in 2021 that the threats in the original legal letters were unfounded and intended to intimidate. Four of the ‘undertakers’ formally complained against SCC. These complaints were ignored for many months despite persistent follow-up. After failing to address the complaints for over two years, in 2023, SCC appointed a law firm, VWV, to investigate. In July 2025, a Council committee accepted the recommendations of the VWV report and approved an action plan.
Personal apologies are now being extended to the campaigners bullied into signing the undertaking.
One of the four complainants, Isabel O’Leary, revised and expanded the draft apology provided by the council. Isabel’s primary goals throughout the process have been to seek accountability from those responsible for the poor decisions during the street tree controversy and to discourage other councils from issuing injunctions against environmental protestors. Isabel recently received a comprehensive apology from Kate Josephs, SCC’s Chief Executive. She apologises for poor legal decision-making and governance, the impact of the legal action, lack of transparency and honesty in Council communications, failures in information management, the considerable costs to the public purse from the street tree debacle, and shortcomings in the SCC’s response to formal complaints. Kate Josephs also apologises that those responsible for the flawed decisions have not been subject to clear accountability.
Further apologies are still to be made.
Sheffield Street Tree Partnership (SSTP) Meeting 22/07/25
Christine King, former STAG representative and committee member, gave notice that she had stepped down from her role. She is now continuing to serve the SSTP in a volunteer data management role.
The committee intends to discuss the method of choosing STAG representatives with members. In the interim, two committee members kindly volunteered to attend the July meeting. Two committee members, Isabel O’Leary and Helen McIlory, attended as interim observers representing STAG. Thirteen SSTP representatives were present, and three gave apologies.
The first item of the agenda was raised by an SCC Transport Planner, who discussed the necessity of felling two trees to make space for a two-lane cycleway on Castle/Exchange Street. Our STAG interim observers noted that initially, there appeared to be little opposition to this, until a few questions prompted suggestions about possible options to retain the trees or to replace them close by. This prompted further questions and suggestions.A report from the Planting subgroup was presented, exploring funding for planting in Darnall. It mentioned that DEFRA is consulting on the Biodiversity Net Gain metric and raised concerns that it minimizes protections for small developments. Ten to eleven trees will be planted on Woodseats High Street in the next planting season, with funds raised independently of the SSTP. The SCC Trees and Woodland Strategy is to be updated by 26/03/26. SSTP is seeking funding partners to develop a digital platform for a planting palette.
A report from the Maintenance subgroup examined the Tree map and stated that SCC plans to update fellings monthly using information provided by Amey. An SCC officer will review the intention to update the map regularly to reassure concerned members of the public.
As Paul Selby previously informed STAG members, the Notable Trees report covered the Chelsea Rd elm. A Western Rd WWI commemorative sycamore will be replaced, and a suitable ceremony will be arranged. A tree on Rustlings Rd has been made safe through a crown reduction and can now be preserved.
The discussion covered the Bristol Tree Replacement Model and whether Sheffield should adopt it.
The Street Tree Strategy is currently under review within the partnership. The issue of community engagement is being examined, as the partnership has not yet established significant tangible links with community groups across the city. Should this be a standalone outcome, or could it be integrated into all outcomes? This question was posed. Broader community education on the benefits of street trees was discussed, along with the need for more Tree Wardens. The question of who is best placed to communicate with the wider public was also explored, considering options such as SCC, Amey, Universities, and STAG.
AOB: The partnership manager role remains vacant. An SSTP away day is scheduled for 14/10/25.
An interim meeting for subgroups will take place on 28/08/25.
Suspension of Code of Conduct procedures – further information
At the emergency meeting of STAG, the committee ran out of time to explain that although the Code of Conduct remains in place, some procedures (section D) have been suspended because they are not workable, and leave STAG open to the possibility of legal action.
The independent reviewer of the Code of Conduct identified several issues with the current procedures and the evidence of practice related to these procedures. These include:
- Significant gaps in records
- Partial and incomplete evidence
- A “detailed procedure” but it is “not clear how the process should work in practice”
- The rights and responsibilities of all parties are not set out
- The process followed is not always clear
- It is unclear whether an appeal is open to both parties
- The sequencing and timing of events are unclear
- The use of complaints that appear to post-date decisions
- Very little mention/evidence of informal efforts or stages
- “A more progressive approach supported by clear records is preferable”.
- And, “…where disciplinary decisions fail, it is often because there is no clear and unambiguous record of events.”
The Report recommends a comprehensive review aimed at simplification and clarification. In this context, the committee considers it inappropriate and too risky for STAG to use the current procedures while they are still under review.
It is important for us as a committee to have the support of members, and we propose to seek member endorsement of the decision from those present at the next (ordinary) Members’ Meeting. We also hope to facilitate a discussion on how we can best review the Code of Conduct.