Not even Labour would do this

Homeowners face having to pay a specialist to inspect their trees under a safety regime drawn up by one of Britain’s most respected watchdogs.

The British standard for tree safety inspection would require all trees to be checked by a “trained person” every three years, with a still more rigorous “expert inspection” by an arboriculturist every five years.

Tree owners will also be obliged to conduct a “walk-by” inspection themselves once a year.

The drive to make all trees subject to inspection is being led not by the Health and Safety Executive - which opposes the move - but by the British Standards Institution (BSI). Highly respected in the building and engineering industries, it is better known for its views on the composition of cement than on the health of trees.

I don’t think even the government would go for this. It would lead to even higher taxes and could be bad for the environment. There will be tens of thousands of trees under the authority of each local council. Could you imagine the bill councils would have to pay? All it would lead to is councils paying to have trees knocked down because they would be unable to afford the maintenance without substantially increasing taxes.

The government would be mad to go along with this. It would damage them during a time where they are trying to look like a green and environmentally friendly party.