Lack of support scuppers Halesowen in Bloom (From Halesowen News)

Lack of support scuppers Halesowen in Bloom

5:37pm Wednesday 27th February 2013 in News

A LACK of support from Dudley Council has forced the organiser of Halesowen in Bloom to scrap this year’s planting scheme.

Cornbow Shopping Centre manager Eve O’Connor, who has worked tirelessly for several years to ensure the town looks colourful and attractive to shoppers and visitors, said she was “extremely disappointed”.

Bedding plants for the summer display needed to be ordered early last month, but without a commitment from the council that it would cover the £7,000 cost of watering, she was unable to place it.

Mrs O’Connor said the summer and winter bedding plants cost around £4,000, which was raised through sponsorship from businesses, notably Sandvik.

“I found it incredibly difficult to get a response from the council and without knowing we were going to get their support and assistance I could not move forward with it,” she said, adding: “It is extremely disappointing because it feels that the council is very supportive of Stourbridge in Bloom but there is not the same support for Halesowen.”

Chamber of Trade chairman Steve Fitzpatrick, who along with the town’s gardening club, also helped with the scheme, said he had heard from a council employee that Stourbridge’s scheme this summer was going to be “bigger and better” than before.

Last year’s plans to enter Halesowen in the prestigious Britain in Bloom competition for the first time were dropped at the last minute over fears the town would be marked down because of lack of general maintenance by the council.

No response has been forthcoming from the council.