Sheffield council issues apology over tree-felling scandal

The city’s new Labour leader has accepted that some of the 17,500 trees cut down were healthy

Sheffield city council has issued a lengthy open apology for misleading the public, the media and the courts in a bitter dispute over its “flawed” programme to fell 17,500 street trees – many of which it now accepts were healthy.

Tom Hunt, the council’s new Labour leader, said he accepted some people would “never forgive” the local authority for the mistakes it made during the long-running saga, which led to elderly residents being arrested in dawn raids and one councillor facing prison.