Council tenants fear that new plants on estates around Brighton and Hove are being left to wither because officials didn’t think about how they would be watered.
And tenants and leaseholders’ representatives were also worried that they would be unfairly landed with big water bills.
Recent wet weather and relatively few hot spells have helped but reps were concerned that there was still no satisfactory sustainable solution for the future.
The problem was raised at a Brighton and Hove City Council housing panel by West Area reps this afternoon (Tuesday 17 August).
The meeting papers for the panel said: “Concern was raised regarding watering arrangements for planting provided on estates. This would become increasingly necessary during the summer months.
“This needed to be able to be carried out safely and the risk of theft or vandalism of equipment minimised.
“It was agreed that this should not involve costs to tenants, ie, on their water bill.”
At blocks of flats, the council was looking to provide water butts or secure external taps, in lockable cage to protect against vandalism.
Reps were keen that these should be as close as possible to where watering would take place.
Housing officials pledged to update tenant and leaseholder reps by the end of next week and hoped to come up with workable solutions by the end of next month.
That’s so Brighton Council. There’s a phrase that springs to mind about organising something and a brewery!
I’m surprised that new plants have been put in at all. I thought the idea was just to let weeds grow wild, like on the pavements, verges and gutters. Even if taps can be made secure who’s going to do the watering? By the time anything’s been discussed, evaluated, decided and implemented the summer will be over and the plants will probably have died anyway, or taken their chances with rainfall.