Express & Star

Could this year's Cannock Chase Christmas lights be the last?

Fears have been raised this year's Christmas light displays across Cannock Chase could be the last.

Published

The Express & Star has been told that cash-strapped Cannock Chase District Council risks 'killing Christmas' after plans to axe the lights in Hednesford, Cannock and Rugeley could go ahead as early as 2017 came to light.

The move comes after council leader George Adamson earlier warned services were under threat following the early closure of Rugeley Power Station in June. That has meant the authority has lost at least £1 million a year in business rates.

A councillor in the Cannock Chase area, who did not want to be named, said town councils have been sent papers outlining the proposals.

He said: "We went through this a long time ago.

"If they are going to stop funding Cannock town centre what is going to happen in the town centre? I think it is a shame. How sad would that look as the main town centre of the whole of the district? That concerns me."

Hednesford Town Council clerk Peter Harrison confirmed he had received the plans.

"One of these things includes the Christmas lights but that is one of many things going into the pot."

He said 'several thousand' people attended Hednesford's Christmas lights turn on last year, which also featured an evening of entertainment and traders on Market Street.

In July Cannock Chase MP Amanda Milling, along with Councillor Adamson and his deputy Councillor Gordon Alcott, met local government minister Marcus Jones to ask for extra funding to help the council to deal with the power station's closure.

But they were told there was no money to help them – despite a £300m pot being in place to help local authorities deal with spending cuts' impact across England.

As a result the council will need to face up to a £3.9m gap in its anticipated budget over the next three years. The total is a third more than the council was expecting to lose before the power station shut.

Potential further cuts will be looked at during a meeting next month. After that residents will be asked for their views as part of a six week consultation.

Further consultation will be carried out once a draft budget has been published in December and then cuts will finally be decided on early next year.

Cannock Chase District Council's head of finance Bob Keen said: "The Council are currently reviewing all service provisions as part of the financial recovery plan. No decisions will be made until after we have consulted on a range of options in September."

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