THE council's premature decision to allow the felling of yet another great beech in Fulford is insensitive and unjustified.

The tree has been growing at Fulford Cross for about 150 years and successfully withstood countless storms. All we were asking for was a delay of two or three months to allow the more reliable tests to be done, as recommended by a qualified tree consultant.

It's not as if the tree tests are very expensive. No doubt local residents would have helped pay for the tests if it were just a question of the council being strapped for cash.

I could hardly believe my ears as one councillor argued why they shouldn't have the more reliable tests done. His reasoning was that by the time those results were available even more reliable testing equipment could have been invented, and there might be no end to the testing.

That's like a prosecution lawyer saying that a suspect should be convicted without examining the fingerprint and DNA evidence from the crime scene because better tests are always being invented. They'd be laughed out of court.

After the fiasco of the Connaught Court beeches, which proved to be strong and healthy when they were felled, the latest council decision will only arouse further suspicion in the eyes of the public, especially as the council itself owns the land in this latest case, and it has been considering how many buildings could be fitted on the site if it were sold off to developers.

The council's impatient attitude leaves a bitter taste in my mouth, and I sense the whole community is deeply disappointed and disillusioned.

David Wilkinson,

Atcherley Close,

Fulford,

York.

Updated: 10:38 Friday, January 21, 2005