Last week, Islington’s ruling Labour councillors announced a new trees policy for our borough.

Sadly, despite all the hard work put in by local residents over the years and the comprehensive report published by the council in March 2009, this new policy is a total let-down.

It is a watered-down version of the 2009 policy that fails to protect Islington’s trees.

A lot of detailed work went into the original consultation. Nothing then happened despite frequent reminders.

Finally, last week, we received a flimsy two pages of badly-written gobbledygook.

The new policy fails to promote planting additional trees. It does not require like-for-like replacement of felled trees.

It does not even stop the council cutting down trees without replacement.

That’s why Liberal Democrats have “called in” this decision to try and make the council think again.

Once again Labour councillors have let down local residents. – Councillor John Gilbert, Liberal Democrat, Highbury East ward, Town Hall, Upper Street, N1.