Hanging basket grants look set to be phased out in Ely and Soham as part of a money saving exercise.

The cost saving measures, outlined in a report by East Cambridgeshire District Council, recommend that the grant is halved for 2016 and phased out by 2017.

It would mean savings of £2,082 next summer and £4,164 for 2017.

Tracey Harding, tourism and town centres manager, said in the report: “Over the years the district council has provided a grant of £2,934 to the City of Ely Council and £1,230 to Soham Town Council as a contribution towards their hanging baskets.”

They are the only councils to receive such a grant she added.

The tourism and town centre service plan has: “an over arching objective to achieve financial neutrality by 2017/18.

“The reduction and ultimate cessation of the hanging basket grant has been identified as a cost saving measure and it is the responsibility of each respective local council to provide hanging baskets in their city or town.”

A decision is to be made in a meeting of the commercial services committee next Wednesday (25).