Harington Ward Labour Councillor Nina Killen said she is delighted that Formby residents will get the chance to have their say which trees are to be planted on a green at the heart of the community where three trees have recently been removed.
Cllr Killen had been contacted by residents concerned that three trees have been taken down from the open green space on Wicks Green.
Residents believed that the trees had been mistakenly removed, but after being contacted by Cllr Killen, Sefton Council's arborists have confirmed that the trees were dead and they were removed for public safety.
But now Cllr Killen and her Harington Ward colleagues are working to secure funding to pay for replacements
Cllr Killen said: "I met with the residents around Wicks Green who were obviously concerned that the trees had been removed from the green.
"Three poplar trees were removed because they were dead and at least two others are at risk due to them being in a similar condition.
"The council had been concerned that the trees had become dangerous in the condition they were in and tell me they feared that the trees could have fallen in the road or injured someone.
"But I has passed on the concerns of some of the local residents that they had felt there had been no communication about the removal of the trees. Sefton officers have agreed to reassess whether the process can be more transparent to keep those living in the community more informed."
Due to the Tory-Lib Dem Government funding cuts, Sefton Council doesn't have the budget to replace the trees, but Cllr Killen said councillors are working on sourcing the funding from elsewhere.
Cllr Killen said: "Because of the financial constraints imposed on Sefton by the Tories and Lib Dems in Government, there is not a lot of money available to pay for replacements or management of the replacement trees.
"There is no money in the council's trees budget for replanting trees, so the money has to be found from elsewhere. But I am delighted that my ward colleagues have agreed with me that the trees need to be replaced.
"The residents have already made a contribution and we will work at sourcing the rest.
"Bigger more mature trees will cost more but may survive better so we'll have to strike a balance between cost and tree size. The council's tree planting manager, is going to put together a proposal with different options. So the residents themselves will get the chance to choose what type and how many trees they want. That will be their decision."
The trees will be planted this winter during the regular tree planting season, and they will be guaranteed for two years. If they don't take they will be replaced.
Cllr Killen added: "I am really pleased we've been able to help the residents with this situation. I know tree felling is a very emotive issue and we've had a similar issue recently in the Village where trees have had to be taken down.
"We are hoping that those trees will be replaced too.
"My ward colleagues and I have worked together with the residents to come to a decision which I think most residents are satisfied with. The trees are going to be replaced with ones which are more suited to the green and which will be of a more mature nature so much nicer to look at."
