LANCASTER council's new cabinet had its biggest argument yet on Tuesday this week at its third meeting... over flowers!

The council has turned down the chance to take part in a world peace initiative which would have seen more than 200 roses planted in memorial gardens on Morecambe's sea front.

It was sex, rather than party, that divided councillors, with Gina Dowding (Green), Carolyn Simpson (Liberal Democrat) and council leader, Tricia Heath (MBI) deciding that planting 'perennial' roses would be a blooming good idea.

However, the men of the cabinet, Geoff Wilson, David Barker (both MBI) and Clive Lamb (Conservative) followed Conservative leader James Airey's suggestion that money could be better spent.

Cllr Dowding said: "This couldn't just be the Tories proposing something which goes against world peace, could it?"

Cllr Airey joked that he would be happy to see the council plant perennial roses, as long as they spent out the words 'we support the Star Wars programme'. Those against carried the day.

Other decisions taken at a low key meeting, lasting less than an hour, included approval for the bid for Lord Mayor status, backing for off street parking at Yealand Redmayne and a training programme for staff at Salt Ayre centre in advance of its transfer to a non profit making trust.

Several more contentious issues, including the long awaited cultural services review, were due to be discussed behind closed doors.