Conservative councillors are calling for urgent action on dead and dangerous street trees after two recent incidents highlighted the risks facing residents.
Earlier this year, a large branch in Milnthorpe Road fell and damaged a parked car. In Ratton last week, another large tree came down across a footpath. Both trees had been reported as concerns well before they failed, yet no action was taken in time.
Councillor Robert Smart, who represents Meads, said:
“Eastbourne’s trees have been badly affected by Dutch elm disease and ash dieback, but residents should not have to live with obviously dead trees hanging over roads and pavements for months on end. When a tree is clearly dead, people reasonably expect action before it comes down, not afterwards.
The incident in Milnthorpe Road shows what can happen when that does not happen. We have had cars damaged already. Next time, it could be a pedestrian. There is no excuse for leaving clearly unsafe trees standing”
Since 1st April, responsibility for highway trees in Eastbourne has transferred to East Sussex County Council after Eastbourne Borough Council ended its sub‑contracting role. Eastbourne’s most recent survey identified almost 100 priority diseased elms, including 54 in Meads, 21 in Old Town, 11 in Upperton and 8 in Ratton. East Sussex is only now beginning the process of letting a contract to remove about half of those elms, leaving many clearly dead trees still standing while the programme is rolled out.
Ratton councillor David Small added:
“Just last week, a large tree in Ratton that had first been reported to Eastbourne Council in 2023 finally came down across the pavement. It was pure luck that it did not hit a passer‑by or fall the other way onto the nearby house.
Residents are regularly reporting tree concerns to me and rightly expect a swift response. The decision by Eastbourne Council to transfer this service to East Sussex appears to have been taken unilaterally and with little forethought, creating a large backlog of work that is not being dealt with. We are calling on both councils to treat the risk from dead trees seriously and to bring forward works on those next to homes and busy walking routes.”
