Decision details

The White Rose Forest (WRF) Partnership, where Kirklees Council is the accountable body, is delivering new woodland creation across West and North Yorkshire. It works with multiple partner organisations like local authorities, national forestry organisations and local landowners supporting them with the planning and delivery of tree planting. Cabinet approval is needed so Kirklees Council can accept a new phase of grant funding which will extend its ‘Trees for Climate’ woodland creation for another four years. 

Engagement and consultation

Over the last year to 18 months the White Rose Forest Partnership has extensively engaged with its long-term partner organisations e.g. Local and Combined Authorities, National Park Authorities, and its wider network of stakeholders including private landowners, over its plans to extend Trees for Climate tree planting and woodland creation, across West and North Yorkshire for a further four years. These stakeholders have collectively offered their support to this next phase of woodland creation which is clearly evidenced by its healthy pipeline of 1,400 hectares of projects in development.

Regular engagement channels also include the: WRF Strategic Board, Programme Management Group, District Groups and WRF Community Forum.

During the development of the WRF Strategic Plan [2025-2050] the WRF adopted a structured consultation process of key stakeholders. The plan outlines the WRF vision, aspirations and targets including its plan to increase tree and woodland cover by 16.6%. This next tranche of Trees for Climate funding will support the delivery of this target.

All the Strategic Board representatives approved the WRF Plan, thereby confirming their ongoing commitment to the WRF objectives.

Wider consultation of this proposed next phase of tree planting took place during 2025 with Department of Environment, Food & Rural Affairs [Defra] and the wider England’s Community Forest [ECFs] network who consider the WRF a fundamental delivery partner in achieving government tree planting targets.

All individual WRF tree planting projects are subject to due diligence which includes consultation with key stakeholders e.g. Forestry Commission, Environment Agency, National Parks, Natural England, Historic England, archaeological and ecological record centres and the public.

Background papers

13 July 2020 - Decision - White Rose Forest Plan and the Trees for Climate Programme | Kirklees Council

8 July 2025 - Decision - White Rose Forest Strategic Plan 2025-2050 | Kirklees Council

RESOLVED –

1)    That approval be given to accept grant funding of approximately £47m of capital and £2.6m of revenue from Cheshire West and Chester Council to implement and deliver a new Trees for Climate programme for 2026-2030.

2)    That authority be delegated to the Executive Director for Place, in consultation with the Service Director for Finance and Service Director for Legal, Governance and Commissioning and with the Portfolio Holder for Finance Regeneration to: -

(i)             enter into both capital and revenue funding agreements with Cheshire West and Chester Council (the accountable body for the national Defra funded programme).

(ii)            Implement and deliver the Trees for Climate programme for West and North Yorkshire (and a wider geography, where appropriate and feasible) including recruitment and procurement of the resources required to deliver the programme objectives including the ongoing monitoring of the outcomes, over multiple years, working in partnership with the Community Forest Trust, and England’s Community

(iii)          receive both capital and revenue funding from the Trees for Climate [2026-2030] programme funders both as the accountable body for the WRF and to make offers of grant funding in order to pass funds on to eligible project applicants.

(iv)          pursue other funding including match-funding opportunities, private sector donations and sponsorships to support the delivery of the WRF strategic objectives and where

appropriate enter into funding agreements with funders. 

3)    That authority be delegated to the Service Director Legal, Governance and Commissioning to enter into any external funding agreements including with Cheshire West and Chester Council as accountable body for DEFRA; any funding agreements with third party landowners and /or other ancillary legal agreements / legal instruments/land management service agreements.