Recently a lady mistakenly accused people of stealing flowers from Council beds along Central Avenue. This proved to be false as they had permission to take the old flowers away from council employees who were replacing them with new plants.
We asked the Council to explain their policy so that everyone was aware and could also take advantage if they wished.
Jimmy Bennett, Durham County Council’s clean and green manager, said: “Every summer we replant our display beds with seasonal plants and flowers. Like most other councils, we dispose of the winter bedding plants we remove as it is more cost-effective to use new stock each year than to store and replant the perennials.
“Old plants are generally brought back to our depots and used for composting. However, due to the number of plants we remove, in some circumstances, we have allowed members of the public to have them. Anyone wanting to register an interest in doing this should contact us on 03000 261 000.”