A council failed to act on a safety recommendation before a tragic accident involving a schoolgirl.
Brooke Wiggins, 12, died in Banstead, Surrey, after falling from a rope swing attached to a branch that snapped off a beech tree.
The tree, managed by Surrey County Council, had been inspected in May 2022 and a recommendation was made to remove ivy to allow for a more thorough examination.
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However, the work was not carried out before the accident in November 2024.
A planned re-inspection scheduled for May 2024 also did not take place.
Katherine McDonald, the council’s group manager for countryside, told South London Coroner’s Court on Friday that the work was given a priority rating of five, meaning it “should” take place within 12 months of the inspection and had not become a “concrete plan” for action.
Ms McDonald said: "They can’t be, because we would require flexibility… to be able to juggle different priorities and ensure that on the spectrum of priority, we are providing the most value for money for our residents, and that would be tackling the highest priority first."
She explained that the council manages millions of trees and cannot act on every recommendation.
The inquest heard the fatal branch had a hidden crack that was not visible from the ground.
Ms McDonald also confirmed that while the council removes rope swings from trees within seven days of discovering them.
At least 15 rope swings are taken down by the council each year.
Where more than one is found in a location, the council may consider putting up warning signs to advise of the dangers.
Ms McDonald told the inquest no signs were put up at the site of Brooke’s death.
She said: "We would envisage putting them on a specific tree, where a specific tree is an issue, rather than a general location."
She said the council provides information on the risks of rope swings to schools.
A serious incident group was formed after Brooke’s death to consider what action to take.
Ms McDonald said the group did not include family members or consult the local community.
She said such involvement would have been considered insensitive.
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