NEIGHBOURHOOD groups have been banned from planting trees because they cost too much.

Castle Point Council planning officer Steve Rogers admitted yesterday the borough’s five neighbourhood meeting groups are no longer allowed to spend their £2,000 annual budgets, which are provided by the local authority, on new trees.

He said this was because the long-term maintenance costs – which include paying for them to be pruned – were too high.

Dave Blackwell, leader of the Canvey Independent Party, who runs Garden World gardening centre, off Canvey Road, Canvey, said: “It’s ridiculous, as the long-term maintenance costs for trees are minimal.”

Neighbourhood meeting groups covering Canvey East and West, Benfleet, Thundersley, Hadleigh and Daws Heath, meet once every three months.

This gives residents a chance to raise any concerns about crime or local services with councillors and council officers.

Each group is also allowed to spend £2,000 a year on anything residents think will improve their local environment – with exception, now, of trees.

Mr Rogers said: “The council’s not saying we’ll never plant trees ever again. All we’re saying is the neighbourhood meetings can’t use their small budget for that.

“The council will look at parks and open spaces it manages and where a request is made for some additional planting to be carried out that will be considered.”

Independent party councillor Janice Payne, who has had previous problems with tree planting, was also upset at the decision.

She previously complained the Canvey East neighbourhood group was only allowed to plant two Scottish pine trees in plant pots, on grassland opposite the Lubbins car park, off Eastern Esplanade, earlier this year.

This was in memory of local lifeguards Terry Nunn and Allan Aldridge.

She said: “Myself and another councillor, Joan Liddiard, went to a lot of trouble watering them every day, but they have already died.

“You would think trees planted in the ground would have more chance of surviving.

Mrs Payne added: “I could understand if the council just wanted to turn down trees by the side of roads – because these need to be maintained so they don’t damage cars, their roots don’t break underground pipes, and the falling leaves don’t make people slip over.

“However, most of the trees that neighbourhood groups request are in open spaces, not by roads.”