Councils to spend £265k on lighting up Christmas

Christmas spirit is alive and well at West Midland councils as most vowed to protect the budgets for lights and decorations despite massive cost cutting.

More than £265,000 is being spent on lighting the region and putting on events to attract shoppers and give traders a boost during their busiest time of the year. Wolverhampton City Council will fund lights in the city centre, Bilston, Wednesfield, Tettenhall and Dudley Road.

The big switch-on in the city centre on November 23 will feature Grand Theatre panto stars Sam Kane and Linda Lusardi.

Sandwell is in the final year of a £300,000 five-year budget for Christmas lights.

Only Dudley Council has made a cut to its festive budget, taking £6,000 off funds from lights in Dudley, Halesowen, Stourbridge and Brierley Hill.