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Salisbury City Council: Scrapped hanging baskets spark division

BBC Hanging basket at Salisbury's Guildhall Square with cascading pink flowersBBC
Salisbury's hanging baskets surround the city's Guildhall and Market Squares

Councillors have been accused of making "poor" and "irrational" decisions after scrapping city centre hanging baskets.

Salisbury City Council voted to switch to more "sustainable" alternatives, sparking anger from Conservative councillors.

It had been argued that the amount of water needed by the baskets every summer is unsustainable.

But Conservative councillor Eleanor Wills said it doesn't make a difference in addressing the climate crisis.

She told BBC Wiltshire Radio her position on the matter was about "saying on behalf of the people that I represent - wrong decision".

"This is about saying, what the council is proposing to address the climate change emergency is poor, it doesn't deliver, it doesn't make a difference," she said.

Conservative councillor, Eleanor Wills stood under a hanging basket display of pink flowers
Conservative councillor, Eleanor Wills is against the plans saying the council is not listening to the public

"I believe we're in a climate change emergency - there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that climate change is real - and this is not where the debate needs to be," she said.

"In no rational world do you say we're going to scrap all of the traditional planting and put up what essentially looks like you've blue-tacked a bit of moss to a lamppost.

"Let's talk about how we make sure residents across the city can have outside space that looks fantastic, not scrapping the hanging baskets."

Liberal Democrat Councillor Victoria Charleston stood in front of Salisbury's Guildhall
Liberal Democrat Councillor Victoria Charleston supports the plans

But Salisbury Council Liberal Democrat Victoria Charleston accused Conservative councillors of "choosing to be confrontational".

"They are choosing to find problems in every decision that is made," she said.

"Since this administration started, Labour, Liberals, independent all worked together, the Conservatives walked away from that.

"In the meantime we are focused on creating a green sustainable city."

She said the council took the decision to be a green council and declare a climate emergency in 2019.

"The council is already doing an extraordinary amount to address climate issues.

"Our hanging baskets, as beautiful as they are, take an extraordinary amount of water - 16,000 litres every summer.," she added.

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