Council leader rules out Christmas lights cuts

A council leader has firmly ruled out any Grinch-like cuts to funding for Christmas lights displays.

The commitment by Cllr Mark Pritchard comes despite Wrexham Council facing a projected budget shortfall of £28m over the next two financial years.

In April, the leader of the local authority’s independent-Conservative coalition warned changes would need to be made to how services are delivered after telling fellow councillors: “It’s not going to be pleasant.”

Neighbouring Cheshire West and Chester Council announced in February that it would no longer be funding Christmas lights displays in Chester and surrounding communities in a bid to save money.

Sponsors

The authority said it would instead be seeking money from commercial sponsors to pay for festive illuminations.

However, Cllr Pritchard has categorically rejected the idea of Wrexham taking a similar approach and insisted he would spend more on lights displays if he could.

He said: “I would never support cutting funding for Christmas. I enjoy Christmas and I celebrate it.

“I like Christmas lights, and I like the Christmas tree. I like everything about Christmas.

“If I had more money, I’d be spending it on Christmas lights, I can assure you.

“It’s a wonderful thing Christmas, and we should celebrate it.”

Cllr Pritchard said the authority was also considering whether to introduce parking incentives to boost trade in Wrexam over the festive period.

It comes after a ‘free after 11am’ parking initiative in council-run car parks in the city centre was brought to an end in April.

He added: “There will be a political discussion in reference to car parks to decide if we do something over the Christmas period to encourage people to come to Wrexham like we’ve done in the past.

“That will go into the political arena and that’s where we are with it currently.”