More details have emerged about a controversial Burntwood tree planting scheme that failed to go ahead.
A now defunct company called Nature Nuturing Community Interest Company, run by Cllr Thomas Loughbrough-Rudd, had been given £924 a community orchard at Chasewater.
Emails released as part of a new Freedom of Information request show that the project was sold to council officials as helping local people learn a range of skills, including jam making.
However, an investigation subsequently found that no trees had either been planted or purchased, with the money not returned to the public purse in full until last month, despite claims from the councillor that the trees were ready to be put in the ground as far back as July last year.
The newly-released documents show that Cllr Loughbrough-Rudd’s initial application for funding was submitted to Staffordshire County Council on 24th February 2021 following a separate decision by then cabinet member for environment, Cllr Julia Jessel, to push back the cut off date from 29th January to 26th February.
In an email to councillors on the same day as the original closing date, she said the scheme had been such a success that they could also go beyond the initial £1,000 pot they had each been given.
“Within the short timeframe, the fund has achieved its aim of raising awareness of climate change across Staffordshire, receiving over 50 applications and offering a total of £10,000 of funding to local projects – a further £25,000 is waiting to be assessed.
“It was planned for this fund to close on 29th January. However, after reviewing the achievements of the fund to date, I feel that extending the deadline would offer you and your communities more opportunity to apply, so they can have a greater impact on climate change at local level.
“I have also asked that even if your initial funding of £1,000 has been allocated, further applications can be submitted.”
Cllr Julia Jessel’s email to councillors on 29th January 2021
The documents show that Cllr Loughbrough-Rudd had initially applied for the maximum £1,000 which could be granted for a single project, before scaling it back to £924 after being asked to provide a breakdown of costs.
In an email to the then division councillor Helen Fisher, he said £404.95 was needed for 15 walnut trees, £500 for apple trees, along with almost £20 for tree stakes, additional equipment and a tree grower.
He was initially paid £580 on 15th March 2021, but then complained to the county council three days later the full amount he requested had not been handed over.
Emails show that an officer subsequently asked for the additional money to be paid, citing that Cllr Loughbrough-Rudd sending the cost of apple trees over in a separate email had caused the initial confusion.
Cllr Jessel replied to say she was happy to authorise the full amount, with a second instalment of £344 then handed over just days after Cllr Loughbrough-Rudd’s election to the county council.
“Perhaps one of the improvements we can make next financial year is to have a simple spreadsheet incorporated into the application form so that all costs and descriptions can be listed clearly as it is sometimes difficult to extract the information from large amounts of text.”
Cllr Julia Jessel’s email on 25th March 2021
Jam tomorrow?
The emails released under the Freedom of Information Act also offer further insight into Cllr Loughbrough-Rudd’s planned orchard.
After being asked for more details about the benefits of the scheme as part of the application, he wrote of developing a space where skills such as making fruit jam could be developed by Burntwood residents.
“Tree crops are the most powerful tool we have for agricultural carbon sequestration.
“We plan to maintain and develop a Community Orchard on sound permaculture principles and develop a sustainable inventory and portfolio of nuts, fruits, tree vegetables and agroforestry species for central England climate.
“We plan to maintain and sustain a number of useful plants, but also propagate, cultivate, harvest, processes and allow sustainable consuming of the different species planted.
“We are happy to embrace Government guidelines community orchards are frequently used as an educational resource for local schools and children.
“Also, our community orchards are a great opportunity for everyone to learn new skills – fencing, wildlife watching, horticultural skills from pruning and maintenance of the fruit trees and jam and fruit juice making skill and under the auspices’ of the principles of a Forestry School with engage with dedicated teams and volunteers to maintain and sustain the planted trees.”
Cllr Thomas Loughbrough-Rudd explaining the benefits of his tree planting scheme in 2021
However, analysis has now shown that a large portion of the explanation of the benefits of the Chasewater project appear to have been taken from existing material, such as the book Trees for Gardens, Orchards and Permaculture where Eric Toesnmeier praises the work of author Martin Crawford.
“I have taken all the flak for this”
After it emerged the scheme had not gone ahead, Cllr Loughbrough-Rudd eventually returned the money in March this year – more than 12 months after the first payment was made to him.
However, the now-independent member for Burntwood North has repeatedly refused to confirm why he would not return the money any sooner.
Despite being the only named director of his company, Cllr Loughbrough-Rudd has previously complained that he had “taken all the flak” for others who had not done their bit to make the tree scheme blossom as planned.
“I must have had a mental imbalance for a time to have gone that far or stupidly have the belief the trees would be planted, even in October when those who I was doing it with said they could arrange it.
“But they didn’t. One was an Oxford academic, another a young person in Cannock as well as a farm owner in Stafford.
“I have taken all the flak for this because it was done in my name and not in those who should have known how to sort it.”
Cllr Thomas Loughbrough-Rudd, Staffordshire County Council
Staffordshire County Council’s audit and standards committee discussed Cllr Loughbrough-Rudd’s conduct at a meeting last month.
However, the item – marked ‘Reactive Fraud Investigation – Whistleblowing Climate Change Action Fund Scheme and Breach in Standards of Public Life’ was held behind closed doors. No details of the meeting have subsequently been released.
Advice surgeries
Despite previously writing to the chairman of the council outlining his intention to resign, Cllr Loughbrough-Rudd has since done a u-turn on that decision and has signalled his intent to hold regular surgeries.
He promoted online Facebook advice sessions to followers on his locked Twitter account last week, with the first one scheduled to take place on Saturday (9th April) at 11am.
Cllr Loughbrough-Rudd has also confirmed he will be hosting face to face surgeries too from next month.
“In person surgeries will be at Burntwood Library every second Saturday of the month at 10am, starting 14th May.”
Cllr Thomas Loughbrough-Rudd, Staffordshire County Council
People wanting to attend the online advice surgery to discuss issues with Cllr Loughbrough-Rudd can do so via his Facebook page.
