ABERGAVENNY is being spruced up in a bid to win the annual Wales in Bloom competition.

The town council is looking for nominations for street furniture and other related items that include benches that need sprucing up.

However, the town clerk was told that the local authority owned rubbish bins, which are showing signs of age and neglect, could not be repainted with the town's blue coloured scheme to match in with other street furniture.

Peter Johns told members at last week's meeting of the town council that the paint on these bins had been produced with an environmentally covering that the local authority didn't wish for it to be painted over.

Councillor Paul Jordan : "The state of the town rubbish bins is poor . It's also a poor reflection on us when its Monmouthshire County Council's property we are offering to spruce up without costing them anything.

"Without painting these bins will mean they look out of place when everything else has been given a fresh coat of paint."

Councillor Douglas Edwards said: "We've also seen the letter in the Abergavenny Chronicle where a trader is complaining over the cost of £69 for a hanging basket.

"This council spends a lot of money each year decorating the town, whether it be summer blooms or Christmas lights.

"Traders need to play their part in this and the cost of flower baskets includes daily watering.

"If a trader wants to look after and water their own hanging baskets they can get a basket at a reduced rate.

" We need to urge local traders to support the town so it can look its part for the summer judging."

Councillor Edwards added: "I believe Abergavenny Town Council does a fantastic job, the work load is colossal and its upsetting to see this sort of attitude from traders. What more can we do?"