Councillor Keith Brookes: Why pull up Cleethorpes flowerbeds before Britain In Bloom awards?
LABOUR controlled North East Lincolnshire Council has chosen the worst possible time to pull up the flowerbeds on Cleethorpes sea front, according to leader of the Conservative opposition group Keith Brookes
Commenting during an online debate on www.thisisgrimsby.co.uk, Councillor Brookes said the move, which comes just months before the resort hosts the national Britain In Bloom awards, sent out the wrong message to volunteers and would damage the economic regeneration of the town.
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Cllr Keith Brookes during the live web chat on This is Grimsby.
Councillor Brookes also criticised council leader Chris Shaw for poor leadership after a reader claimed that the ruling Labour group had proposed increasing the price for meals on wheels without consulting staff.
On the issue of budget cuts to local government, he refuted the suggestion by one reader that the coalition was targeting the most vulnerable, and blamed the previous Labour government for overspending and leaving a financial mess for the present government to inherit.
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However, he insis- ted that the local Conservative group does not toe a party line to central government, citing a letter to the Prime Minister expressing concerns about the UK's role in Europe as an example.
Councillor Brookes also downplayed the possibility of UKIP taking more seats off the Tories in future local elections, saying the PM's promise of a referendum would see a dip in support for the Eurosceptic party.
To read the debate in full visit www.thisisgrimsby.co.uk
13 Comments
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by Davex66
Monday, February 04 2013, 9:49PM
“Are the flower beds in the Peoples Park safe or is that on Labour's hit list too?”
by Davex66
Monday, February 04 2013, 9:48PM
“I drove past the flower beds today. The replacements are pathetic! I had hoped that my original thoughts when was told about this ridiculous plan were wrong, but they are not!
Sidney Park has lots of flower beds with no flowers in, but I hear that a group of residents wants to improve them. I am sure that if the Labour idiots responsible for this vandalism weren't in such a rush to get their own way a similar group would have looked after the Kingsway display too!!!
Is there a competition for Cleethorpes in ruins? Maybe we should enter that next year instead of In Bloom!!!”
by stujaffray
Sunday, February 03 2013, 12:06AM
“I'm flabbergasted at this labour controlled council's stupidity , have they nothing between their ears ? The gardens were a beautiful attraction for Cleethorpes , just as Grimsby Swimming Pool is for the youthful divers attracted to try diving by Tom Daley's " Splash " program . Last Saturday several had to be turned away due to the influx of want-a-be divers.It might be too late for our floral displays , but we must keep up the pressure to save the " baths" !”
by DannyWilde
Saturday, February 02 2013, 10:07PM
“Apparently saved £15k not having flower beds”
by davendogs
Saturday, February 02 2013, 9:15PM
“My bet is they will buy in ready made plants, expensive ones and just shove em in the deck. Then it will dawn on them that they need nurturing. This escapade will cost far more than they think.”
by Beagleyes
Saturday, February 02 2013, 6:38PM
“But what no one has been able to tell us is just exactly how much has been saved in ripping up the flower beds - more to the point how much has it actually cost to do the planned new features ?
Anyone from Nelc like to give us some numbers - after all its us locals who are paying for this”
by IMProveit
Saturday, February 02 2013, 11:38AM
“In October 2012 the NELC issued a draft Local List of Historic Assets of Special Interest (http://tinyurl.com/82mswld ). "The intention behind compiling Local Lists is to raise awareness of the importance of the assets covered and provide information to developers, planners and the public."
The list includes "the formal promenade gardens" in the Kingsway. Yet now these gardens are being dug up! The proposed replacement with patches of gravel can hardly be described as "formal promenade gardens". The expression "the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing" comes to mind as far as the NELC is concerned!”
by pedro100
Saturday, February 02 2013, 10:57AM
“The flowers have been moved with undue haste because the council knew that there would be many objections but there is not much point when the deed has been done. I would like to see how much money moving them has saved, my guess is nothing. I am amazed that Mick Burnett has not had some say on this. We shall remember at election time but with so little choice of councillors it is hard to make a decent choice.”
by DannyWilde
Saturday, February 02 2013, 10:41AM
“Plant salt marsh most of the resort has it anyway”
by davendogs
Saturday, February 02 2013, 10:34AM
“Why now? That would depend on wich plants they have in mind as relacements. Some are best suited to go in around Autumn time, others Spring. Some are quick growing, others take time to establish. Daft headline question really, then again this council is likely to get their planting timing totally screwed.”