One year ago today Plymouth’s then Conservative Council chopped down over 100 trees on Armada Way in the middle of the night.

It was an act of environmental vandalism.

I vocally opposed plans to chop down the trees. I told the Tory Council Leader it was a mistake to send in the chainsaws and was sadly proven right. It was a disaster for nature and for our city’s reputation.

Voters rightly booted those Tories out last year in the May local elections.

The new Labour-run council scrapped this Tory scheme, consulted extensively on a new scheme with more trees, more nature, a big play area and a better cycle path.

That scheme has now been approved and work should start soon.

Voters in Plymouth won’t forget what the Conservatives did.

Nothing can bring back the trees we lost, but we can make sure the Tories who did it don’t get back in power again.