Floral clock petition triggers council debate

The floral clock on the gardens at Palmeira Square could be removed after the council said it could no longer afford to maintain it
- Published
A petition to save a 72-year-old landmark in East Sussex has attracted enough support to trigger a town hall debate.
The floral clock was installed in the Palmeira Square gardens, Hove, as part of Queen Elizabeth II's coronation celebrations in 1953.
But Brighton & Hove City Council revealed in September that it was planning to remove the clock as "financial constraints" meant it could no longer afford to repair or maintain it.
Now, a petition to save the clock has gained more than 3,000 signatures, surpassing the threshold of 2,250 needed for a council debate.
Campaigner Laura King organised the petition and said losing the clock would be "a crime", the Local Democracy Reporting Service reports.
"The floral clock can be restored and the council has plenty of community infrastructure levy tax which can be invested in garden infrastructure for the community," Ms King said.
"The clock can also be sponsored for special occasions, as used to be the case.
"Why is this important? The floral clock is a famous city landmark and has appeared on many postcards over the years.
"It would be a crime to get rid of Hove's once-beautiful floral clock and the community have been given no say in this council decision."
'Financial constraints'
Ms King will have three minutes to speak at the debate on Monday, with councillors then given 15 minutes to discuss the matter.
The council said in its consultation in September: "We know this is a popular feature and we particularly want to hear your thoughts on this part of the garden as we co-create our plans with you.
"While financial constraints mean the council alone could not commit to mending and maintaining a working clock, we want the community who love and use the garden to help us come up with suggestions for what we might do with this part of the garden.
"We've secured funding to cover the cost of the re-landscaping and volunteer gardeners from the Friends of Palmeira and Adelaide Residents Association have generously agreed to help the council maintain the new garden."
More than 1,110 people have responded to the public consultation. The council has not yet made the results public.
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