Research Project - TPO Reviews - Where are we at & where are we going?

[Gary Prentice]

Good evening everyone.

 

I'm contemplating trying to establish the current situation and the future prospects of the TPO review system in England, as an independent research project for my level six Diploma.

 

My intention is to contact every LPA to ask them to complete a short on-line questionnaire regarding their review processes. Additional information would be questions on increases/decreases in staffing levels since 2004/5, problems that occur due to old orders etc.. Sorry if this sounds a bit vague, but I'm still very much at the concept stage.

 

My first step is create a database to target the relevant Tree/Arb officer of each authority or a planning officer responsible for trees and TPOs. I'm hoping that organizations such as the LTOA, NATO and MTOA may be able to to help with this, but would ask for further suggestions in this aspect. Obviously, as the Trees in Towns 2 survey, no individual person or authority would be identified in the final report.

 

It was noted in TiT2, that despite publicity through many trade and professional journals and magazines, the response to that survey was initially poor. So, as an unknown student I well may face a uphill battle to attain a significant response level. I may be setting my goals high but really would like to achieve the 66% response level of TiT2 to statistically justify the research. Can anyone help to promote this survey or suggest ways to increase the response rate?

 

In a few weeks I'm hoping to release a pilot questionnaire, to de-bug the software and fine tune the questions. Would anyone be willing to volunteer to answer these? They would only be preliminary dry runs, not requiring lots of time or effort, but would provide some feedback to assist in collating the results.

 

Any feed back/suggestions/naysayers would be gratefully received. I'm currently testing the water to try to identify if social networking/forums etc would be productive. If anyone thinks I'm attempting the impossible, I don't mind being told that either ;-)

 

I've set up a dedicated email account for this project which is [email protected] if anyone wishes to contact me off-forum.

 

Many thanks for your time.

[Gary Prentice]

This is also on UKTC. Any other websites that would help to promote this?

 

Oldhams in, , so I only need another 385 LA's to respond:biggrin:

 

Edit: Sorry Kveldssanger, one Essex LA too, so 384 to go. I think the City of London (nudge nudge) may be likely too

Edited June 30, 2015 by Gary Prentice

[Kveldssanger]

Should be good!

[Gary Prentice]

I hope so. If all the consultants could talk to the people they know in the LAs that would help too. Just forwarding a link to the UKTC post or here would help

 

Social networking is an amazing means of spreading information (but I don't know how to set up a FB page -or want to know)

 

I'm hoping to get the questionnaire out in January - the final version, after some pilot ones to a few people later this year. I'm thinking that a six week deadline, 14th February, followed up by a further two week extension (28th), then a telephone call, should give everyone a reasonable period to reply.

 

I'll acknowledge all emails to the dedicated email but envisage a few months of just getting the contacts.

[Amelanchier]

Have you considered utilising FOI requests?

 

https://www.gov.uk/make-a-freedom-of-information-request/the-freedom-of-information-act

[Gary Prentice]

Have you considered utilising FOI requests?

 

https://www.gov.uk/make-a-freedom-of-information-request/the-freedom-of-information-act

 

My fall back plan Tony. Another student contacted me this morning who had used the FOI for a similar survey. A local TO said this morning they were a pain.

 

If I can network around the country to reach sympathetic people it may prove more productive - I don't know.

 

If anyone who can help, directly or indirectly, does I may not need to go along the official route. It's early days but the response over the last 18hrs has been surprising, direct offers - "I can do that for you" and indirect " contact this person" or " I'll speak to this person at such and such authority".

 

Tree people are generally good people:thumbup:

[oslac]

AIE UK Tree Officer Index

 

This list is on the AIE site. Maybe worth a visit to have look around.

 

I contacted over 300 tree officers for my dissertation a while back and got about 60 responses.

 

Good luck

[Roz]

Happy to help and can also promote through the district group(s) I am involved in will contact via the e-mail address

[daltontrees]

Have you considered utilising FOI requests?

 

https://www.gov.uk/make-a-freedom-of-information-request/the-freedom-of-information-act

 

That only gets you existing information, not opinion. And definitely nothing helpful, as Council's hate them. Even when there's nothing to hide, it is really tiresome responding to them. I used to work for a couple of Councils and used to have to spend 1/2 a day dealing with some nonsense or other from some [forum-rules-forbidden-noun] with nothing better to do than send in smartass requests when a phone call would have got them a more helpful and quicker reply.

[daltontrees]

Gary, you are a masochist. I have made a few comments about your plan on UKTC. Wish I could help. If you want to extend it to Scotland I might. I think the legislation requiring review of TPOs is almost identical up here, but possibly had effect at a different time from yours.