Councils’ Costs Of Watering And Maintaining Flower Beds And Baskets Revealed

Published on: 3 Jan, 2019
Updated on: 7 Jan, 2019

By Rebecca Curley

Local Democracy Reporter

Guildford Borough Council spent £42,279.34 on its 1,726 flower beds, 280 hanging baskets and 60 troughs in 2017-2018.

The figures have been released as part of a Freedom of Information request to all 11 district and borough councils in Surrey.

In 2017-18 Surrey’s borough and district councils spent a combined £139,790.97 on their flower beds, hanging baskets and troughs in towns and villages.

Behind Guildford was Runnymede Borough Council, which spent £31,559.73 in the same year on its 68 flower beds, 110 hanging baskets and 45 troughs.

Waverley Borough Council spent £11,111 in 2017-18 on flowers and plants for its 1,226 flower beds and hanging baskets.

Farnham was the only Surrey town to represent the county in the Royal Horticultural Society’s Britain in Bloom in 2017 winning gold and best in category for the Large Town section.

The councils provide a combined 3,122 flower beds across the county, 972 hanging baskets and 318 troughs, according to the numbers given.

Data collected on the amount councils spend on flower beds, hanging baskets and troughs shows that more than £400,000 has been spent in the county over the past three years.

In 2017-18 Surrey’s borough and district councils spent a combined £139,790.97 watering, planting and maintaining the hanging baskets and troughs in towns and villages.

In 2016-17 they spent £161,300.28 and in 2015-16 the figure was £113,047.22.

The combined data does not include Mole Valley, Spelthorne or Tandridge who were unable to provide figures. It also does not include those maintained and planted by parish councils, private companies or organisations.

The work across the councils is carried out by a mixture of in-house landscaping teams and contractors.

Breakdown of total spent on flowers and plants in 2017-18 in borough / district

• Elmbridge – £11,246
• Epsom and Ewell – £4,851
• Guildford – £42,279.34
• Mole Valley – not given
• Reigate and Banstead – £12,747
• Runnymede – £31,559.73
• Spelthorne – not given
• Surrey Heath – £5,996 (bedding plants only)
• Tandridge – not given
• Waverley – £11,111
• Woking – £20,000 (approximate)

Number of council maintained flower beds, hanging baskets and troughs

• Elmbridge – 506
• Epsom and Ewell – 84
• Guildford – 2,066
• Mole Valley – not given
• Reigate and Banstead – 111
• Runnymede – 223
• Spelthorne – not given
• Surrey Heath – 24
• Tandridge – 2
• Waverley – 1,226
• Woking – 170

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