A BASINGSTOKE resident said he has been given the run around for months by local councils after trying to report a dangerous tree in Rooksdown. 

Xander Squier first reported the broken tree to Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council and Hampshire County Council earlier this year but both authorities said it wasn't their land. 

Xander said he wanted to take action after finding the tree precariously hanging next to a Basingstoke footpath especially popular with dog walkers.

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council said the land was owned by Hampshire County Council, and that "it (BDBC) may contact Hampshire (County Council)."

Hampshire County Council told Xander: "This footpath is not the reponsibility of Hampshire Highways."

Xander said he has been left frustrated by trying to do the right thing, but not getting help from either authority.

“I think it’s disgraceful that they don’t take more responsibility, even though it may well not be on their land, the point is this is an open public space and I think they have a duty to go and find out whose land this is,” he told the Gazette.

“They shouldn’t leave it up to members of the public to play detective at their own time and expense.”

The tree in question is located on The Spinney footpath, which is located between the Parklands Hospital and the A340 Aldermaston Road.

It has snapped in half and is currently resting on another tree, and is in danger of falling onto the busy footpath beneath.

“It’s dangerous, it’s as simple as that,” Xander said.

Basingstoke Gazette:

“It’s got the potential to be a danger to people that walk around here and there are a lot of people that use this every day.

“There is the potential for further damage to the tree that it’s leaning on and somebody needs to deal with it.”

David Perkins, Parks and Streetscence Manager at Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, said: "If we are made aware of a tree on our land which poses a potential health and safety risk, we can act quickly and will do so without question.

"However, we do not have the powers to take such action on land which is owned by other agencies.

"Unfortunately it appears that in this instance a member of the public was misinformed due to the complexities of land ownership."

A spokesperson for Hampshire County Council said: “Hampshire’s Highways teams manage trees on highway land to ensure they pose no threat to the safety of the public, or to vehicles or property. 

"We do not manage trees on private roads, footpaths or private property, and cannot remove trees which belong to another landowner unless they are identified as a specific risk to the public highway, which this tree does not.  

"We have looked at the Land Registry and can confirm that this particular footpath is owned by Homes England.”