WESTBURY Town Council has brightened up the town centre this summer thanks to the inclusion of Market Place planters and the council has further plans to freshen up the town by painting street furniture in the future.
The council agreed earlier in the year to spend £5,436 to install planters in the Market Place as a way to increase biodiversity in the centre of Westbury as well as acting as a deterrent to stop people parking inappropriately in the area.
The council also allocated £14,578 to paint bollards, benches and metal bins in the town’s black and gold theme. The town council had previously said that the funding for both of these projects has come from reserves and will not impact on the taxpayer.
The external services team leader at Westbury Town Council, Andrew Thomas, said, “The Market Place planters – which were purchased to increase flowers in the town, to brighten up and improve the space the with colourful blooms, while adding to the town’s pollinator network for insects and bees – were installed in May this year. We have received some very positive feedback from residents and are a great success. The planters had the secondary function to help deter unwanted parking on the pavements.
“The town council is now looking at other options to uplift the town centre, which will include further painting of street furniture. This will be undertaken by Westbury Town Council staff to ensure value for money with the costs being met within the existing budget that the town council has allocated for general upkeep. The low-level bollards, benches and metal litter bins will be kept in the same black and gold scheme to match the recently painted High Street furniture.”
