Tree planting for newborn babies scheme backed

Councillors have backed a new scheme which will see a tree planted for every new baby.

Southend Council is offering to plant a tree for every childbirth registered at the council and to everyone achieving British citizenship.

Within the scheme, parents would be informed where their child's tree had been planted and parents of stillborn babies would be able to use the tree as a memorial.

Alan Dear, Conservative councillor, said: "I believe it will be a great benefit to families with newborn babies in the city and given them some connection to their city."

The Plant a Tree for Every Child scheme was discussed in a full council meeting on Thursday after the motion was put forward by Alan Dear and Daniel Nelson.

The idea was amended to honour stillborn babies.

Mr Dear said: "Councillor Nelson and myself have received a large number of emails supporting this motion. One in particular asked us to consider adding stillborn baby births to this list of trees to be planted."

He said the trees would have a "positive impact" on the city and provide environmental benefits too.

The motion said: "They can lower the temperature of city streets during extreme heat, increase flood defence, enable good mental health, reduce our carbon footprint, and of course improve the street scene of our city.

"However, for many years the city appears to have lost more trees than it has been able to plant and the "two for one" policy has historically been difficult to implement. This has meant that residents often feel that trees are not being replaced."

The scheme will now be considered by the council's cabinet.

Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.