Pulp council magazine to save flowers, say LibDems (Islington Liberal Democrats)

Islington Liberal Democrats <Islington_ld@cix.co.uk>

Pulp council magazine to save flowers, say LibDems

July 21, 2010 9:25 PM

One of the hanging baskets to be axed by Labour

Islington Liberal Democrats have urged Labour councillors to listen to residents and abandon plans to scrap all the hanging baskets and flower boxes in the borough as part of their £7million cuts package.

After it was revealed last week that Labour councillors were proposing to axe the flowers, residents have been up in arms about the plans. Given the huge popularity of the flowers, Islington Liberal Democrats have proposed axing the council's magazine to residents and use the money to continue the hanging baskets instead.

Comments from Islington residents about Labour's plans have included:

"Archway is such a dreary area compared with the rest of the Borough and having beautiful flowers there all through the summer has made such a big difference."

"The flowers are a welcome sight in summer. Sitting in Islington Green or walking along Upper Street and Essex Road it is wonderful to have the flowers softening the urban street scene. I am sure it goes some way to encourage pride in the area and less graffiti."

Islington Liberal Democrat leader Terry Stacy said:

"Putting up these flowers has been one of the most popular things this council has ever done.

"It gives you a real sense of Labour's priorities when despite all their big talk about slashing the council communications budget, they'd rather rip out the plants. It is especially ironic given that Islington is the London in Bloom competition winner.

"Liberal Democrats want Labour to now put its money where its mouth is and get rid of the council's magazine. This quarter of a million pounds would be better spent on saving our hanging baskets."