COUNCILLORS want more detailed information about how much it will cost to have a towering planter – which has not been seen for a number of years – back on the Wellington town centre street scene.

Somerset Council has been storing the Monument Planter, which was originally made by Reg Grabham and given to Wellington Town Council in the early 1990s, which holds around 25 different sized planters.

It was stored by the former Somerset West & Taunton Council and planted every year, but members of the town council’s town centre committee heard back in January that around six years ago it did not reappear as repairs were needed.

Now town councillors heard at their monthly meeting on April 8 the planter had been passed to Montaz Engineering Solutions Ltd which had been asked to fit new hangers and carry out other improvements.

Montaz said that the work would cost £575 and was waiting for the approval of the town council to go-ahead with the project.

But although councillors have said it would be great to have the flowering tower planter back on display in the town – some are questioning how much will it cost at a time when council finances are stretched.

Cllr Janet Lloyd: “It really does look lovely when it’s all planted. I would propose that we do this.”

But Cllr Lloyd pointed out that the planter – which would need to be installed by crane – was only on display while the flowers were in full bloom. Once the flowers had gone over, the planter was removed.

Cllr Justin Cole said the £575 quote from Montaz seemed a “lot of money” if the planter was only going to be on display for part of the year and queried what other costs would be involved.

And the Deputy Mayor, Cllr Catherine Govier, said she shared the “concerns about the costs.”

“We do need to understand what the full prices will be,” she said. “How much is it going to cost to get it craned in and out again and then there’s the planting?”

Cllr Keith Wheatley, speaking at the town centre meeting in January, said: “It would be nice for about four months of the year when the flowers are all out in bloom. I don’t think this is really a “must-want” thing.”

Councillors have previously been told that it would cost about £400 to plant up, but the big unanswered question would be as to how much the council would be charged to have the planter installed and then removed by crane.

Cllr Lloyd had previously said that not so long ago the town council was talking about spending more than £40,000 on trees and plants for the town centre and now councillors were “quibbling” over £400.

The planter was previously installed on grass by the United Reform Church in Fore Street, while it had also appeared at the Baptist Church in South Street.

Councillors have asked for further information about how much it will cost for the overall project.