MONKEY PUZZLE TREE IN SWANSEA

That this House is appalled that Liberal Democrat-led Swansea Council plans felling a beautiful, healthy and vigorous 150 year old monkey puzzle tree in the grounds of Llwynderw Primary School, in West Cross, Swansea; notes that this proposal, in a landscaping scheme for the school, comes weeks after both the Leader of the Council and the Cabinet Member for Education gave unequivocal assurances to local residents that the tree would be retained; is astonished that the recommendation to destroy the tree, on health and safety grounds, is based, in part, on the advice of a so-called expert who equated the danger to children posed by a monkey puzzle leaf to that of a discarded hypodermic syringe; and hopes that common sense will prevail and this marvellous landscape feature will be saved for the enjoyment of the children of the school and the people of that part of Swansea.