Canvey Town Council plans to ensure the island’s improving seafront looks even more beautiful next summer by taking over the gardens.

The authority has agreed to take on the Memorial Gardens and Bumblebee Park, off Furtherwick Road, Canvey.

The Memorial Gardens, which are a tribute to the victims of the 1953 Canvey floods, were installed and originally tended by Canvey 2000, but the charity wound down five years ago leaving its upkeep to the borough council.

Bumble Bee Park, which features a giant sculpture of a bee as its centrepiece, was installed by Castle Point Council in 2009.

The borough council struggled to maintain flowerbeds at both sites, because of spending cuts enforced by the Government.

Town councillors hope to secure Government and charitable grants, which are not available to the borough council, to pay for extra blooms to be planted next summer.

This would be the latest improvement to the seafront, after public spirited residents repainted the sea wall and litter bins, cleared litter and dogs mess, pulled up weeds, and installed new signs at Concord Beach.

Dave Blackwell, leader of Canvey Independent Party and a town councillor, said: “We’re really keen to take over and improve these gardens.

“We want to raise the profile of Canvey and think one of the best ways to do this is to make sure flowerbeds across the island are lovely and colourful.

“Hopefully, this will be just the start, as we would like to take over more flowerbeds across Canvey.”

He added the town council had already made big improvements to flowerbeds by the Labworth Cafe, on Canvey seafront, since taking them over two years ago.

Other flowerbeds the town council would like to take over from Castle Point Council, include ones by the Dutch Cottage museum, off Canvey Road, and the former Canvey Council offices, off Long Road.

A spokeswoman for Castle Point Council said: “‘This is welcome news. I’m sure the town council will build on the borough council’s improvement to the maintenance of the park.”