Typically, local retailers are expected to contribute 50% of the cost of the annual "flower baskets" project, in which a series of flower baskets are hung from the rafters in Balclutha’s Clyde St.
The Clutha District Council pays about $3000, plus GST, per season for the flowers to be watered from the Parks and Reserves Budget.
However, as the latest set of baskets were ordered at a later date than in previous years, the council decided they would be distributed at no cost to retailers on the condition the businesses watered plants outside their premises.
At a standing committee meeting on Thursday, service delivery committee chairman Cr John Cochrane said he was disappointed not all the plants had been properly looked after.
The meeting agenda said 53% of the flowers in the baskets had "perished" because of a lack of watering.
The council had been let down by the retailers, Cr Cochrane said.
"I’m pretty annoyed at the response we got from these people."
Clutha Mayor Bryan Cadogan said he liked the look of the flowers he had seen.
The agenda said the majority of baskets that had been watered looked "very good".
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Comments
Did anyone ask the retailers if they wanted and were prepared to maintain the flowers plonked outside their business? Ah the good old council maxim, lets just assume everyone supports our great idea.
Yes they were asked, baskets were only put up outside the shops of those who chose to opt in.