Specialists complete hi-tech testing on Chowns Mill oak tree

A number of options have been explored but specialists have concluded that the tree is likely to be a danger if not removed as part of the £24 million upgrade of the busy A45/A6 Chowns Mill junction in Northamptonshire.

The investigation works included ground penetrating radar to help map the roots of the tree – known locally as the Three Oaks – which is on the A5028 at Higham Ferrers.

Discussions are now under way to ensure the tree can still be enjoyed by the community with the wood being used as carved park furniture/equipment or put to similar good use.

In addition, Highways England is looking to plant up to 1,500 trees and to create wildflower meadow areas as part of the scheme.

Highways England Project Manager Dean Holloway said:

We understand how local people feel about the Three Oaks and have explored many different options looking for ways to safely retain it whilst enabling the vital improvements at this bottleneck junction to go ahead.

Unfortunately, after extensive investigations, the experts found that the road works would leave the tree unstable and in danger of falling down. Safety has to be the priority for Highways England so it is with heavy hearts we have decided to remove the Three Oaks.

Highways England only cuts back or fells trees when it is absolutely necessary to keep people safe or to allow us to improve journeys. Sadly that is the situation here.

At Chowns Mill roundabout the A45 is crossed by the A6 and provides access into Higham Ferrers and Rushden. Drivers often experience severe congestion at the island due to the volume of traffic combined with a lack of space on the roundabout.

The junction is being redesigned as a half hamburger layout with a new link road connecting the A6 South and A5028 with the existing roundabout. All approaches will be widened to provide extra lanes and capacity. Together this will mean a better flow of traffic and less congestion.

The new road layout will fall within 1.5m of the oak tree and the road will be lowered, to a construction depth of 2m from the existing ground level.

As well as the ground penetrating radar – essentially an x-ray of the existing ground – the investigations involved digging trial holes to examine root spread and see whether the road construction would damage the tree.

Arboricultural specialists concluded that all of the roots encountered would need to be removed which would impact on the tree’s overall health, potentially leading to tree mortality. Meanwhile severing major roots would make it less stable and a safety hazard.

The project team also explored changing the road design to protect the tree but due to the root spread, and the size and quantity of roots, it was apparent that the tree would still be destabilised and put public safety at risk.

General enquiries

Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.

Media enquiries

Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.



Inquiry opened into Barry Green Memorial Fund following governance and financial management concerns

Press release

Investigation of charity’s accounts prompts further inquiry by charity watchdog

placeholder

The Charity Commission has opened an inquiry into the Barry Green Memorial Fund (1000492), due to concerns that there has been misconduct and/or mismanagement at the grant-making charity.

The charity’s purposes include rescuing and supporting animals that have been cruelly treated.

The Commission previously opened a double defaulters’ class inquiry case into the charity on 9 December 2019, to examine its failure to file its accounts on time twice. During this work the Commission found several other regulatory concerns about the charity’s governance, including potential unmanaged conflicts of interest, and concerns over the charity’s financial management.

This new inquiry will examine the concerns identified at the charity, including:

  • the extent to which the trustees are complying with their legal duties in respect of the administration, governance and management of the charity, and particularly their financial accounting responsibilities

  • the extent to which any failing or weaknesses identified in the administration of the charity during the inquiry were the result of misconduct and/or mismanagement by the trustees

  • the extent to which the trustees responsibly managed the charity’s resources and financial affairs, and particularly how they have managed conflicts of interest

The Commission may extend the scope of the inquiry if additional regulatory issues are identified.

It is the Commission’s policy, after it has concluded an inquiry, to publish a report detailing what issues the inquiry looked at, what actions were undertaken as part of the inquiry and what the outcomes were. Reports of previous inquiries by the Commission are available on GOV.UK.

Ends

Published 1 May 2020



Testing available for council workers

Press release

Local Government Secretary thanks councils in England for their support during the pandemic and outlines how staff can get tested.

  • All essential workers with symptoms of coronavirus can now be tested thanks to increased capacity – enabling them return to work if results are negative
  • This includes council workers such as those working in social care, benefits payments or with vulnerable people
  • Local Government Secretary has written to all councils thanking their staff and setting out how they and their households can get tested

Local Government Secretary Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP has today (1 May 2020) written to all councils in England thanking them for their efforts in the battle against coronavirus and reminding them of their eligibility for testing.

With substantially increased testing capacity, the government has extended testing to a wider group of essential workers and members of their households.

This means that council workers with symptoms of coronavirus are now able to be tested for the virus, and can return to work if the results are negative.

Those eligible in the local government sector include:

  • Social care staff such as social and care workers – with social care workers in care homes able to get tested with or without symptoms
  • Those delivering essential public services, such as benefits payments
  • Those working with vulnerable children and adults, victims of domestic abuse, homeless people and rough sleepers

Local Government Secretary, Robert Jenrick MP said:

The unsung heroes in local government are supporting communities across the country during the pandemic, from helping vulnerable people to ensuring our bins are collected.

We’ve expanded the national testing programme to prioritise essential workers such as council staff who are keeping the country going.

Booking the test has been made easier through a new online system.

Essential workers can book a test if they are experiencing symptoms – a high temperature or new continuous cough – at one of the more than 42 drive-through testing centres across the country, or receive a home testing kit.

Test results from the drive-through sites will be sent out by text within 48 hours and within 72 hours of collection of the home delivery tests.

  • Read the letter from the Local Government Secretary.

  • The aim is that most people should not have to drive for more than 45 minutes to get to a regional testing site. However, additional testing methods are being rolled-out to support testing accessibility:

    • A network of new mobile testing units is being rapidly established to travel the country to reach care homes, police stations, prisons and other sites where there is demand for testing. The units have been designed to clinical requirements by Army engineers and can be easily set up in under 20 minutes. 

    • A delivery service for home testing kits has been designed with key industry partners, including Royal Mail and Amazon. The availability of home testing kits will initially be limited, but more will become available soon. This will ensure those not able to travel to a test centre can still take the test, find out their results and return to work if possible. 

    • The response to coronavirus is a national effort. The government is working collaboratively across the four nations to ensure the take up of testing among essential workers. Each of the devolved administrations will have their own eligibility criteria and testing priorities, however the government is working closely to align approaches.

    • We are testing social care workers and residents in care homes (with or without symptoms) both to investigate outbreaks and, following successful pilots, as part of a rolling programme to test all care homes.

Published 1 May 2020
Last updated 1 May 2020 + show all updates

  1. First published.



COVID-19: testing for council workers

  • Only go outside for food, health reasons or work (but only if you cannot work from home)
  • If you go out, stay 2 metres (6ft) away from other people at all times
  • Wash your hands as soon as you get home

Do not meet others, even friends or family.

You can spread the virus even if you don’t have symptoms.



2 arrested after raid on Lincolnshire illegal waste site

2 people have been arrested in a raid on an illegal waste site the size of a football pitch in Lincolnshire yesterday.

Environment Agency officers and Lincolnshire Police also seized an excavator and a lorry which were actively depositing more waste at the site on Fen Lane, Long Bennington, when officers arrived.

The move comes after intelligence revealed that lorry-loads of waste, including plastics, commercial waste and household furniture were being accepted onto the site and burned illegally.

The smoke from the burning waste piles – some of which were the size of bungalows – was having a significant impact on local people and putting the environment at risk.

Environment officers observed this activity intensifying in recent weeks – despite the strict lockdown conditions while the country battles Coronavirus – and took action to bring it to a halt.

The site has been subject to ongoing investigations for illegal waste activity while successive businesses have taken over operations before going bust.

Officers last visited the site at the end of January, arriving unannounced with police and planning enforcement officers from Lincolnshire County Council to carry out a full regulatory inspection.

But now legal notices have been issued, all entrances to the site have been blocked off, and activity on the site has been halted.

Norman Robinson, Area Director for the Environment Agency, said:

It’s our job to protect people and nature even in these uncertain times, which is why our regulatory and enforcement work continues while we adhere to the government’s guidelines around coronavirus.

Deliberately stockpiling and burning waste that should be safely disposed of is dangerous enough, but doing so in the current situation while people and legitimate businesses are so restricted shows a shocking disregard for our communities, society and the environment.

This should serve as a warning to those who would flout not just the law, but the lockdown – we and our partners are still fighting to put a stop to waste crime and we won’t hesitate to take action.

Chief Inspector Phil Vickers, Local Policing, Lincolnshire Police, said:

Lincolnshire Police have supported this Environment Agency led operation on a site that was causing harm to the local community, to the environment and to legitimate businesses who operate responsibly and lawfully.  We will work with partners and continue to enforce against offenders who operate illegally during the lockdown period and to protect our rural communities.

Responsible waste management is everyone’s responsibility – we work with the EA, County Council and all of the District Councils across Lincolnshire to protect our countryside and to keep rural communities safe, we are grateful for the support from Long Bennington residents in ensuring this large-scale site could be subject to enforcement today.

Joint investigations will continue and the Environment Agency will continue to monitor the impacts of the site and work with partners to ensure the waste is removed. If convicted as a result of legal action, those responsible could face extensive fines and even prison sentences.

Anyone who suspects illegal waste activity is reminded to report it to our 24-hour hotline by calling 0800 80 70 60, or anonymously contacting Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Earlier this year the Environment Agency and partners launched the Joint Unit for Waste Crime, aiming to stop serious and organised crime in the UK Waste Industry. You can find out more about the initiative on our website.