Reigate and Banstead scoops five awards at South East in Bloom
News release dated 7 September 2007 about the South East in Bloom awards.
Water-efficient planting, colourful floral displays and clean streets have resulted in Reigate & Banstead Borough Council scooping five awards in this year’s South East In Bloom competition.
“This excellent result shows that Reigate & Banstead has an environment to be proud of." (Cllr Dr Lynne Hack, Leader of the Council)
The Mayor, Cllr Mrs Dorothy Ross-Tomlin and members of the Council’s Neighbourhood Services Department picked up the awards from former Olympic swimmer, Duncan Goodhew, at a special awards ceremony on Wednesday 5 September 2007 in Crawley.
The accolades are the result of hard work by the Borough Council, together with help from community groups, local businesses and dedicated residents.
The Borough received awards in every category entered. Planting displays in Reigate and Horley town centres won silver awards in the Town Centre category, and bronze awards went to Banstead and Redhill. As well as floral spectacle, the In Bloom contest takes into account sustainability and the Council picked up the coveted Waterwise Award for its water-saving measures.
Council Leader, Cllr Dr Lynne Hack, said: “This excellent result shows that Reigate & Banstead has an environment to be proud of. It is a credit to all the hard work put in by everyone involved, including our dedicated grounds maintenance, parks and street-cleansing teams which look after our town centres, our parks and countryside for everyone to enjoy. We’re also lucky to have support from Horley Town Council and many local businesses.”
In Reigate town centre, judges were particularly impressed with the quality and quantity of roadside barrier baskets; planting displays at the Town Hall, Reigate Garden of Remembrance and Reigate Methodist Church; landscaping at the Home Zone in Nutley Lane and the junction of Castlefield Road and London Road, and the hanging baskets outside businesses in the High Street, co-ordinated by local resident Pam Alexander.
Horley earned its silver award for the town’s hanging basket displays, the cleanliness of the town and Horley Town Council allotments.
In Redhill judges praised the town’s roadside barrier troughs, the layout of Memorial Park, the drought resistant planting scheme at the junction of Redstone Hill and Cavendish Road and the flower displays outside the Abbott Public House, earning a bronze award.
Highlights in Banstead include the diversity of mature, established trees, landscaping round Forge Steading and Zizzi restaurant, the Woolpack pub’s floral display and the cleanliness of the area.
The Waterwise award was for the Council’s efforts to reduce its water consumption in the delivery of our services.
Cllr Julian Ellacott, Executive Member for Environment, said: “It is particularly pleasing to win the Waterwise Award which shows how seriously we take conserving water. In response to last year’s water shortage, we introduced a three large water tanks at Earlswood Depot to collect rainwater, which hold around 40,000 litres of water. This is used watering the many flowerbeds and planters around the borough.
“We also introduced a number of drought resistant planting schemes across the borough, such as the one recognised by the judges in Redhill, which require less frequent watering and are lower maintenance than traditional bedding plants.”
Horticultural Manager, Paul Donoghue said after the awards ceremony: “This is one of the highlights in my long career in Local Government. It is the first time we have entered the In Bloom awards and I am thrilled that our efforts have been recognised. My thanks go to all the staff who have helped achieve this marvellous result.”
The work is part of Reigate and Banstead Borough Council's commitment to caring for the local environment, focusing on issues that matter most to residents such as a cleaner streets and improving the street scene. It also ties in with the Council's ‘Love where You Live’ scheme, launched this summer, aimed at encouraging civic pride.
Winners of the South East regional competitions will be put forward to represent the region in the National Britain in Bloom awards sponsored by the Royal Horticultural Society, and the winners of this go on to represent the UK in the European competition, Entente Florale.
Reigate & Banstead Borough Council
Town Hall
Castlefield Road
Reigate
RH2 0SH
01737 276000
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