Council leaders responsible for Sheffield tree felling scandal left with no option but to resign - The Yorkshire Post says

However, there will not be a proper reconciliation in the absence of accountability. The architects of this grim chapter in Sheffield’s proud history need to be held responsible.

That is why senior councillor Bryan Lodge had no choice but to resign.

Feeling was made clear by a petition calling for him and council leader Terry Fox to go.

Both of them were key figures in the council’s ill-thought and ill-judged tree felling programme. A programme that aimed to fell 17,500 street trees as part of a £2.2bn contract between the council and Amey. Thankfully the residents of Sheffield stood up to a Labour-run council that was set on running roughshod over their city – denuding it of trees for unjustifiable reasons.

The council overstretched its authority in its actions against campaigners and as the Lowcock report found there were serious and sustained failures in leadership with the public being misled.

In order to win over the trust of the people of the outdoor city, Sheffield Council needs a clean slate and Mr Fox should follow in Mr Lodge’s steps.

As tree campaigner Annette Taberner said: “You keep talking about ‘we’ are going forward, we don’t want to go forward with you because we have no trust in you, we have no faith in you – you are a symbol of what has happened to people in this city…”

And for some campaigners, council accountability is already too late.