No hanging baskets for Islington

Published: 20th May, 2011

THE borough’s annual floral displays are announced this week but there will be no colourful hanging baskets.

For the first time since 2003 Islington in Bloom will not include those colourful displays that brighten up the borough.

Islington under the previous Lib Dem council won first prize in the London in Bloom competition and came runner-up nationally. 

But in a controversial decision last year Labour decided to axe the funding for the council’s hanging baskets and flower boxes.  

Some private business sponsorship may mean flowers for town centres and Exmouth Market this year but everywhere else in the borough will go without.

Mildmay ward Liberal Democrat councillor Rhodri Jamieson-Ball said: “The hanging baskets and flower boxes were one of the most popular things this council ever did in residents’ eyes.   

“But they were one of the first things for the chop in Labour council’s cuts.”