Councillor fined as 100 trees get chop

A Cannock Chase councillor has been hit with a £16,000 bill having been prosecuted by his own authority for chopping down around 100 trees without permission.

Danny Davies, of Penkridge Bank, Rugeley, pleaded guilty to 18 sample charges of failing to take account of a tree preservation order (TPO) and was fined £4,500 and ordered to pay £11,678 by magistrates.

The councillor admitted causing or permitting the destruction of the trees on his land, at Birchwood in Kingsley Wood Road, which were subject to a TPO.

The 61-year-old ward member for Etching Hill and The Heath and a Rugeley town councillor, cleared a large area of woodland , via a contractor, without consent.

He must now re-plant the woodland area with appropriate tree species. Full details of this have to be agreed with the district council.

Stafford magistrates heard that around 20 to 30 of the trees had been damaged by natural events.

Councillor Davies today claimed there had been a misunderstanding and his instructions had been "misinterpreted".

He said: "I had no intention of taking any trees down at all. It was a misinterpretation of my instructions.

"My intention is now to restore the heathland habitat which I will do after discussing the situation with the council.

"This has caused a lot of anguish for me and my family."

He said he is looking forward to bringing the woodland back to its former glory.

The Liberal Democrat councillor said the prosecution had been hanging over his head for some time and that he was relieved it was finally over.

He declined to name the contractor which carried out the work.

Kathryn Cooper, PR and marketing manager for the council, said: "The council will not hesitate to pursue such cases through the court."