Middleton victorious in Landscape Award 2008

Chief Executive Roger Ellis and Councillor Wera Hobhouse present Middleton’s street services team with the Chief Executive Landscape Award trophy at the winning site opposite the Dusty Miller pub.

Rochdale Council’s street services team for Middleton is celebrating after claiming victory in this year’s Chief Executive’s Landscape Award.

The council’s Chief Executive, Roger Ellis, made the announcement yesterday (Monday 6 October) at Rochdale Town Hall and presented the winning team with their trophy for redesigning and planting shrub beds opposite the Dusty Miller public house.

Judged by Roger Ellis and cabinet member for environment and sustainability, Councillor Wera Hobhouse, the Chief Executive’s Landscape Award, which is now in its fourth year, is presented to the township team that the judges believe has made the most significant landscape improvement and for the community which uses it.

Continuing last year’s site inspection criteria, areas improved for previous Chief Executive’s Landscape Awards were also looked at as part of the judging process. Brought in to encourage the long term future and sustainability of the improvements made, the maintenance of these sites formed a proportion of the marks allocated.

Commenting on Middleton’s win, Roger Ellis said: “The Middleton team once again has proved how a dose of creativity and innovation can go a long way. This team has won not only for the site they have landscaped this year, but also for the crisp, clean and striking maintenance of the sites they have worked on over previous years in this competition.”

From low maintenance sites right through to those that are highly ornamental, township teams are given the autonomy to identify areas to improve every year, but with the rule that the site has a high visibility in the respective township area.

This year, each team had been given a budget of £1,500 from the council’s Environmental Management service’s annual maintenance funds. If they wished, teams were also able to access funding from other sources - such as from other council services, township grants or from private businesses.

Councillor Wera Hobhouse, cabinet member for environment and sustainability, added: “It has been an absolute pleasure to go out and see the improvements that have been made across all four townships. However, what is important is that the sites that have been landscaped as part of the Chief Executive Landscape Awards are sustainable and much easier to maintain than they were before – thus saving money.”

Other sites that were judged this year two plots on Bury Street, Heywood, improved aesthetics at the Newhey bus terminus, and re-landscaping of the road frontage on St Mary's Gate.