DENBIGHSHIRE County Council gardeners are to be congratulated this summer season on providing the many excellent floral displays and redesigned roadside planted areas throughout Prestatyn. One presumes that their efforts are intended not only to delight residents and visitors alike, but also as an important contribution to Prestatyn’s entry in the annual Wales In Bloom competition. In sharp contrast however, motorists entering Prestatyn via the A548 Coast Road might be forgiven for believing that our town, once feted as the Rose Garden of North Wales, was this year a serious contender in a Wales In Weeds competition! From only a short distance within the county boundary to just before Drivers Garage the weed growth either side of the kerb line on the north side of the road can only be described as spectacular; the kerb itself now obliterated by dense verdant weed growth. Although a regular annual event at this, the main entrance to our town, this year’s showing can only be described (for all the wrong reasons) as the best yet. This shameful neglect even advances this year to the kerb line right over Bodnant rail bridge to the commencement of Marine Road. It is hard to accept this situation can apparently go unnoticed each year, and for so many weeks again this season, by county officers and our own councillors, both county and town. One thing that is certain however, is that it may well not go unnoticed by Wales In Bloom judges especially situations, for example, at the junction of Prestatyn Road and Nant Drive where weeds flourish at the kerb edge within only a few strides of a magnificent floral display on the central traffic island. As if this was not bad enough, I have been intrigued by well over a year now by the explosion of vegetative growth at rooftop level from one of the rainwater discharge hopper heads of T Nant, Prestatyn. For those who may wonder why this relatively new public building is seemingly neglected, just cast your eyes skywards above parking ticket machine number 12. This vegetation now appears to be in bloom and I think I spy an Hart’s Tongue fern starting to flourish from within. Now that’s “Civic Pride” for you! It is all well and good for the residents of Prestatyn to witness the recent major expenditure at both the Nova and Scala cinema but councillors are reminded that these important new assets like T Nant will require appropriate levels of expenditure on annual maintenance for the years ahead to keep them in good order and not subject to neglect. Provision should be included in future annual estimates for this purpose not forgetting the inclusion first of funds to undertake an effective weedkilling programme. Via e-mail, full name and address supplied. | 
