Floral shortfall in town budget

There are fears that the home of the flower parade won’t be a riot of blooms this year as the town’s budget was set with no provision for floral displays.

Coun Rob Gibson told a meeting of Spalding Town Forum it might miss out on funding for this year, but he said work was going on to ensure a future solution.
Coun Mark Le Sage had been looking at providing baskets and had asked for help with In Bloom, but no councillors had come forward.
He was involved in a serious car accident recently, but said in a message to the meeting: “If anyone is able to get the money together he’d be more than happy to help them along.”
It follows a last minute bid to get flowers displayed in the town last year.
Coun Gibson said: “I asked the leader of the district council (Coun Nick Worth) at a full council meeting if would be willing to assist in getting the bloom baskets up for this year.
“The reply was that the district does not help other towns including Holbeach and Crowland, so why should it help Spalding?
“As I have said in the past, Spalding does not have a parish, if the district doesn’t do these things then no-one else is able to do it, that’s why Spalding has been left behind.
“We had hoped that the ‘Forgotten towns money’ would be available by now and would fund this, and several other schemes that are getting left behind.
“Unfortunately, the fund doesn’t seem to be coming forward yet.”
Coun Gibson said last year then leader Coun Gary Porter pledged £6,000 from members’ budgets before he and Coun Jan Whitbourn put the baskets in which cost around £65 each to implement.
“There’s work going on in the background to get it ready for next year,” Coun Gibson said.
lThere was also calls for more Christmas decorations as the Town Forum budget was set which includes an average £1.26 a year increase in the Spalding Special Expense, the money paid by Spalding residents.
It takes the council Band D charge to £25.83 per household.
The budget includes £1,356 for Christmas decorations, an amount that’s decreased, the council says because of estimated lower costs in electricity.
Coun Glynis Scalese said: “I really think Spalding should make the efforts of other towns.
“Sometimes it looks pretty miserable and I think we need to look at it.”
Coun Gary Taylor said: “There’s pot of money available we could bid in for so we may need to spend the next few months working with traders on that.
“There’s the Business Improvement District vote later this year and it will give the businesses more to spend on Spalding including events like Christmas and other celebrations.”