Ho! Ho! No! Halesowen Christmas lights under threat

The authority says it is facing the 'biggest cuts in local government history' and cannot allocate the required funds as in previous years.

Dudley Council has halved the Christmas lights budget from £8,000, which business owners have called 'a blow'.

Ech year the council sets aside the money for the town's traders, who then organise to put on the festive decorations.

Halesowen traders are to hold discussions with the council over the cuts but are sceptical of negotiating a better deal.

Wayne Edwards, chairman of Halesowen Chamber of Commerce, said: "The cuts are a blow. We are debating now whether we can put the lights on due to the cuts.

"We have one of the biggest shows of Christmas lights each year which Dudley Council recognises.

"Unless there is a change in the funding Halesowen won't have any Christmas lights this year.

"But that will depend on the outcome of the meeting. It is a hard time at the moment for businesses."

Traders are set to meet up and discuss how they can source the funding alternatively.

Funds are also donated from community forums in Dudley, which totals around £5,000, as well as business in Halesowen, which totals between £6,000 to £7,000.

Councillor Pete Lowe, leader of the council, said: "These are unprecedented times for the council with significantly reduced funding to not only deliver events across the borough but also key services to our most vulnerable children and the elderly.

"We are sympathetic to the traders' concerns and would not be making any cut unless we had had the biggest cuts in local government history.

"Like all local authorities we are simply not in a position to continue subsidising events to the levels of previous years.

"However, this year we will still be giving the four main town centres £4,000 towards putting on a Christmas event which includes security, staging, first aid, staffing, trees and lights and much more.

"We also have an excellent track record in supporting community led events such as the Black Country Festival and the DY Eye which have grown in recent years to become a huge success through other avenues such as sponsorship.

"In addition to the funding we do provide we have also made money available through the community forums to help finance events like these."