Today Sheffield Labour has published a statement accepting the findings of the Sheffield Street Trees report, taking responsibility for the failures around the dispute and apologising unreservedly to campaigners and the city.

Sir Mark’s report makes for grim reading. As well as the apology issued by Sheffield Labour, I would also like to personally reiterate my apology. This should never have been allowed to happen.

I will work to ensure mistakes like these never happen again and that the report’s recommendations are implemented in full.

A statement from Sheffield Labour

“The Council commissioned this report to examine every aspect of the street trees programme and it pulls no punches. This report has laid bare the severity of the mistakes made by successive Council administrations in the handling of the programme. Sheffield Labour Party accepts the report’s recommendations in full, and will push to ensure the Council implements them in their entirety. We would also like to thank Sir Mark Lowcock and all who contributed to the report for their diligence and commitment to pursuing the truth.

“Sheffield Labour wholeheartedly apologises for the failures and mistakes made by our previous administration. We will make sure that nothing like this ever happens again. There is a lot of work to do for all councillors and the council officers to regain the trust of the people of Sheffield. That work started by commissioning the report and it will continue now by showing the lessons have been learnt in the way the Council operates in the future. We will ensure Sheffield Council has the highest standards and robust processes, to run the city in the way the people of Sheffield deserve.”