Agenda item

To receive and consider the report of the Compliance and Environment Officer.

The committee received and considered the report of the Compliance & Environment Officer which was in response to a resident request for the planting of a Community Orchard.

Members agreed that since initial discussions on tree planting in 2019, the Town Council had developed a more measured approach to the positioning of new trees; land at the Country Park was no longer considered appropriate following consultation with the Wychwood Project. There was agreement that this idea should be explored further to determine available and appropriate Council-owned land and funding.  Pieces of land at Farmers Close, Cogges and Park Road were suggested as possible locations and there was support from members that if pursued, it should be near to a school so children would be able to learn from the environment as these projects are more successful with involvement from the local community who effectively take ownership of it.

RECOMMENDED:

1.       That Witney Town Council supports the provision of a Community Orchard in principle and asks that it be incorporated into the Town Councils Open Spaces Strategy discussions; and following the outcome of these,

2.       That the project be referred to the Councils Stronger Communities Committee for consideration as a community initiative, paying particular attention to the siting of trees which is covered by that committee.