Kettering Town Council agrees £28,000 funding for 'exceptional' flower displays

Popular floral displays will return to Kettering roadsides, planters and flower beds after local councillors voted to foot the bill for bulbs and bedding plants.

Kettering Town Council (KTC) members voted unanimously to set aside £28,000 to provide the summer planting around the town.

The decision was made as councillors agreed the budget for 2024/25 – and after consultation in November with members of the public.

Funding from KTC will see North Northamptonshire Council (NNC) gardeners continue to plant and maintain the bedding displays.

KTC, which is led by Conservative Cllr Lloyd Bunday, who is also NNC’s finance portfolio holder, said: “Kettering has had an exceptional display of flowers throughout the summer for many years, more so than any other town in North Northamptonshire, and we wanted to ensure the service carried on – this was the overwhelming response we got from local people when we asked about our budget priorities for next year.

“This way, we can protect the quality and quantity of planting and displays into the future, and maintain Kettering’s leading position and its heritage. This is a Kettering feature which should be maintained locally. There is no doubt these displays are popular and they help keep everyone’s spirits up.”

There are dozens of hanging baskets and more than 30 planters around town, including the historic horse trough on Sheep Street, nine flower beds including Bowling Green Road, outside the library and at the bottom of Northampton Road.

As well as these, the 80 troughs on pedestrian barriers at key junctions around the town, will continue to be planted.

Some reductions in the number of hanging baskets, which had taken place in the past few years, will be reversed.

A spokesman for Kettering Town Council said: "The town council will review the scheme after summer 2024 to see what more we can do in future and how best to provide the service in the longer term.”

To find out more about the council’s budget and spending plans for 2024/25 go to: www.ketteringtowncouncil.gov.uk/budget