Newbury In Bloom, Is it just a teensy weensy bit wasteful? Options

[spartacus]

Some of the parks and borders around the town are looking good just now I think we'd all agree. Hanging baskets are in abundance too..

(photos from Newbury.net website)

But it must cost a bomb to achieve this look and maintain it. Can such displays REALLY be justified in current times, where every single penny is fought over? Pretty as they are, when it comes to people losing their jobs because of cut backs then I would much rather that these luxuries were cut rather than jobs even if the town becomes slightly duller.

Can they also be justified when water is such a precious commodity and these beds get a daily drenching? Time these displays were sent to the compost heap and the money spent on a couple of cactii...

(or am I just jealous because I struggle to achieve this look in my cabbage patch garden.... and we're water metered so I'm frugal with the watering can)