Questions over Christmas lights (From Salisbury Journal)

Questions over Christmas lights

1:19pm Tuesday 13th May 2008 in

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THE decision of Salisbury's District Council's cabinet to splash out over £170,000 on a Christmas spectacular, complete with new lights, has been branded "excessive" by its own scrutiny panel.

After last year's show failed to impress the cabinet voted to spend £99,700 on new lights and to nearly double last year's budget for the switch-on event and putting up the lights from £37,000 to £72,000.

But yesterday the council's resources overview and scrutiny panel considered members' decision and has recommended either using existing lights instead or meeting additional costs for the scaled-up event from the city council tax precept rather than that of the whole district.

Last year's event was marred by sound problems and a fake ice rink proved to be disappointing to many people who turned up to use it, and the cabinet has admitted the occasion was not the success they had hoped for.

Council leader Paul Sample has said he hopes this year's switch-on will be "one of the best events in the city's history".