COMMUNITY groups and parish councils are to thrash out local solutions to a flowerbed funding crisis due to hit their neighbourhoods.

Meetings will be set up with interested groups in Ilkley, Addingham and Menston to help minimise the effect of spending cuts.

Independent councillor, Adrian Naylor, who represents Craven ward on Bradford Council,which includes Addingham, said he hoped residents and parish politicians will work together to take on some of the growing, planting and maintenance services currently provided by Bradford Council.

He added: “I’ve asked parish councils to invite other people so we include everybody, such as Friends groups or keen amateur gardeners.”

Cllr Naylor spoke after Keighley Area Committee last week discussed the potential effects of a recently-announced 80 per cent cut in spending on flowerbeds across the district.

Members heard the number of summer bedding plants in the Keighley and Ilkley constituency would fall from 87,500 to 17,500, and Ilkley would also lose all its hanging baskets, lamppost baskets and barrier boxes.

The council has suggested several options for the future, including grassing over some flowerbeds, inviting voluntary groups to grow plants and look after flowerbeds, and asking parish councillors to cover the costs through their precept to villagers

The favoured option is to have permanently-planted flowerbeds, with plants that flower at different times during the year.

The area committee noted the contents of the report last Thursday.

Members asked the Keighley Area Co-ordinator to work with parks bosses, councillors and other interested parties to produce additional proposals for the future management of local flowerbeds, which will be presented to the area committee before the October planting season.

The area committee also discussed Bradford Council’s plans to charge bowling club members at least £15 a year each towards the cost of cutting the grass on bowling greens.