Council under fire over lack of floral colour in Falkirk district

In recent years budget cuts have seen the end of the local authority planting stunning, colourful floral displays brightening up the region for residents and visitors alike.

In some areas, the task of putting together such displays has now fallen to teams of volunteers from community groups and organisations.

However, the lack of appealing, attractive flower bed planting in the town centre this summer has been noted, with former STV presenter Nicky Docherty branding the area as an “eyesore” and “neglected”.

He explained: “The state of the town centre and outlying communities is appalling.

"They are totally neglected.

"We used to have colourful floral displays, but not now.

"I think it’s very disrespectful to the local community when you look at what we’ve got in the Falkirk area and compare it to other towns in surrounding areas.

"I was in Stirling recently and took pictures and compared them to what we have in Falkirk. It’s clearly night and day.

"The High Street is an eyesore.

"How can you expect people to come and spend money here.

"Anyone coming from The Kelpies going to The Wheel, if they end up in the High Street they will be asking themselves ‘have I just been dropped in Beirut?’

"Okay they have planted up the entrance to Dollar Park, but unless you’re walking past you’d never notice it.

"You can’t see it if you’re driving.

"The area opposite the Town Hall is a state of total neglect and if you’re driving into the centre from that side of town that’s your first view of it.

"In the past the council had their own centre where they would bring on all the plants from seed and they would be planted here, there and everywhere.

"For budget reasons they stopped doing that.

"There’s clearly something wrong when decisions are taken that have such an impact on the visual aspects of our town.

"Why is Falkirk being neglected? I go to Perth, Dunfermline, Stirling, St Andrews – none of them look like Falkirk.

"There must be some fundamental reason why our town does not look like them, full of colour and attractive displays.

"We always hear about the Kelpies and the Falkirk Wheel, but it’s the bit in between them that’s a disgrace and has been neglected.

"It seriously needs action.

"It’s not just about flowers, if you make an area more appealing to look at hten people are more likely to visit and spend time there.”

A Falkirk Council spokesperson said: “Unfortunately there has been a reduction in the provision of bedding plants in town centres in recent years due to reduced budgets.

"However we have planted perennial shrubs in planter beds in Newmarket Street which once matured should provide colourful cover annually.

"We are also looking to secure funding to provide additional plants in the town centre.”