Sparks fly in row over council Christmas light switch-on event

A flashback to a previous Christmas lights switch on in Bulkington
-Credit: (Image: Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council)


Sparks flew in a row over council funding for Christmas light switch-on event in Bulkington. It was previously revealed that while the village will have its festive lights Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council said it could not afford to stage an official switch-on event.

The community has rallied to ensure that the switch-on can take place on November 22. But ward councillors Lubs Cvetkovic was keen to get to the bottom of why the council funding for the event was pulled.

The Conservative claimed that they were not made aware of the plug being pulled on the funding for the event, and said that information was only being posted on the Nuneaton Labour page on Facebook. He also asked the ruling Labour group to explain the financial reason behind it.

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"Cllr Watkins (the council leader) has spoken of the need to save millions of pounds," he said "I hope the several thousand saved from Bulkington will be put to good use and not for frivolous projects.

"I would like to know apart from the cuts to Bulkington Christmas lights event, what other budgetary cuts have been made that we have not been made publicly aware of."

Cllr Steve Hey, cabinet member for finances, said: "The council is not going to be offering officer time setting up and cleaning up after the Bulkington light switch on event. The cost of this is fairly minor, around £2,000.

"Given the financial situation left by the previous administration, we are asking all communities that we work with to do as much as possible to help themselves, as part of support packages from the council. In other words, working together for the wider good. I don't think there is anything wrong with that."

Cllr Hey claimed that £22,000 was being spent on the village lights, something Cllr Cvetkovic later went on to refute, saying that money was spent on buying the lights in previous years.

In regards to the lights, Cllr Hey said that other areas that have village centres, such as Attleborough, Galley Common and Keresley do not have Christmas lights provided or any switch-on events.

He added that when the Tories were in power previously they asked for the community to take over the running of both Stockingford and Keresley Community Centres after removing funding, saying the council could no longer afford to run them in the long-term.

"You (the Tories) suggested that the community get involved, that is all that we are saying," Cllr Hey said.

"You asked for cuts and savings, please be assured that all will be revealed as part of the budget setting process for next year, which is now underway and there will be nothing frivolous about that," he concluded.

Cllr Cvetkovic went on to say that the Bulkington switch on event was not £2,000 as Cllr Hey claimed. Cllr Cvetkovic said it was more than £4,500 as they have to fund the clean-up and private insurance for the event.

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