He used Monday’s Council meeting to ask officers whether some of Armidale’s flora needed a closer shave.

“It just looks shabby, like an unmown lawn,” Cr Richardson said of trees managed by Council.

Some trees looked like “when a man shaves and he misses a bit right here”, Cr Richardson said, pointing to the side of his neck.

Peter O’Donohue claimed tree damage in Jessie Street was bad enough to be called a trip hazard.

Armidale Dumaresq Council acting director of special projects David Maunder said removing trees was a difficult issue.

“It’s not something I do lightly but when we have damage to our infrastructure and property adjacent to our footpath [we’ll consider it],” he said.

“If they’re doing damage I don’t like them as trees.”

In some cases if a tree’s growth was static, it might not be worth the effort to remove. 

Council employees areworking on a tree causing damage in Marsh Street, near Rusden Street.

Council has a dedicated employee making sure that trees are not doing excessive damage to footpaths.

Mr Maunder said this employee determined which course of action to take in regards to tree damage and how best to remove them.