Sometimes i wonder.

[Ian Flatters]

Well get called out to clear a hanging branch from an Oak tree. Its in a CA and has recently lost another limb last week. So i Give my local council a ring so they know whats going on. WELL!!! I get told by the TO that if its not hanging precariously i will have to wait till they have been and looked! WHAT its at least a quarter of the top of the tree. I said, well i will drive out there today and have a look myself some people try to take trees down after high winds. I was dumbfounded:confused1: so asked an e-mail to say that they take responsibility if it falls on someone from 10am today to 11am tomorrow? No we won't do that its the land owners tree. I replied and he's trying to carry out his duty of care and safety to the public. No, i will go have a look today. Well its gone 3pm and i still haven't heard a peep.

 

Some people.

[Amelanchier]

 

If its dangerous, its exempt from the regs. So you can take it out.

 

If its not then you're in the queue. And take it from me, the number of people who try and scam an exemption in bad weather is phenomenal. Its not personal, its just the way it is. There is also the problem of excessive works - it pays to be able to give a precise definition of what the TO considers exempt to avoid confusion, if the TO is ambigous on the phone, he'll have little room for enforcement.

 

Not your style I realise but I know of reductions being done to adjacent trees to reduce the risk of exposure after the arbo felled a split tree sheltering them. The reductions were good sense, but not exempt and poorly done (v. windy). Which means of course they constituted an offence. Messy situation caused by a misunderstanding between Arbo & TO on the interpretation of the extent of exempt works in a emergency situation.

 

They won't provide you with written responsibility any more than you would if a punter asked you to! Bottom line is, if it can wait til someone comes to have a look at it, then its probably not dangerous enough to be exempted over the phone!

[Ian Flatters]

I guess so, just can get on ya goat a wee bit. Well im going to leave it till i get contacted by the Council as to not risk getting fined.

[Mesterh]

I woulda just taken some pics and done it mate.

 

Well as long as it was dangerous, but then again even if its just got a crack in a limb and there are targets then that would be good enough for me.Also worth keeping the damaged section just incase they want a look.

 

Can totally see the point the TO has though since I have had more than the odd call to take a tree out and say it was damaged in last night/yesterdays storm etc:sneaky2:

[Ian Flatters]

Stuff it im off to Holland on sunday:thumbup: so one of my subby's will be covering my calls for me. Nice little job for him i think.

[Mesterh]

Stuff it im off to Holland on sunday:thumbup: so one of my subby's will be covering my calls for me. Nice little job for him i think.

 

 

Enjoy yourself then:thumbup1:

 

An make sure you switch off your phone:laugh1: