Michael Gove, with his customary self assurance, has been looking for ways to impose his will on Sheffield Council over street trees. The Council in Sheffield has a programme which apparently involves the removal of a number of trees on the grounds that they are "dying, diseased or dangerous."
I don't know know if the said trees actually are dangerous, but I would think Sheffield Council and whatever tree specialist they employ are better placed to know than Michael Gove. Cases of people dying from fallen branches are not unknown as this example from Willesden illustrates. If Mr Gove were to "save" some trees, and one of them were subsequently involved in an accident, I think it fairly likely that Mr Gove would not be accepting responsibility, but he does seem to feel it is his role to make the decision.
That shows you a lot about how the government's approach to localism is entirely cynical.
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