Council on edge of Cannock Chase buys Christmas tree from 200 MILES away

The 50-foot tree, which is decorated with lights and on display in Market Square, was bought from the vast Kielder Forest in Northumberland.

But the authority has come under fire for not opting to purchase the £1,700 tree from closer to home such as the Chase.

In Wolverhampton, council bosses opted to get their two trees from Gisburn Forest in Lancashire, more than 120 miles away.

The two trees, for the city centre and Bilston town centre, cost £2,160.

West Midlands MEP Bill Etheridge called for councils to 'use some common sense' and support local businesses.

Mr Etheridge said: "It is fantastic to have council sponsored Christmas decorations and trees.

"It is great for local businesses and for the town as it attracts people in.

"However lets use some common sense and go the whole hog and further support local businesses by buying the trees locally as well."

Dfending the move, Stafford Borough Council spokesman Will Conaghan said bosses chose Kielder because it was one of 'very few places' able to provide a tree of that size.

He added that the tree had been well-received by residents.

The Forestry Commission does not sell trees larger than 14ft at Cannock Chase.

Mr Conaghan said: "The tree comes from Kielder Forest in Northumberland, one of very few places in the country that is able to commercially supply a tree of the size we require.

"They grow these trees sustainably over a long period of time – the one we have in Market Square is probably around 50 years' old.

"The feedback we have received from residents about the tree has been great.

"The 50ft tree in Market Square is the centrepiece of the festive decorations in Stafford and a huge part of Christmas in the town centre." Stafford is not the only council to buy its tree from further afield.

It was a similar story in Wolverhampton, where council bosses opted to get their two trees from Gisburn Forest in Lancashire, more than 120 miles away.

The two trees, for the city centre and Bilston town centre, cost £2,160.

Asked about why Wolverhampton council had opted for Lancashire for its trees, Tim Clark, a spokesman for the council, said: "The supplier would have been chosen because it offers what we consider to be the best value both in terms of cost and quality."

But the Christmas tree at the centre of Rugeley's decorations does hail from Cannock Chase and was donated by Tippers and the Forestry Commission.

Angi Cooney, from Rugeley Traders Association, said she believed in buying everything you need from close to home.

"It's very important for the traders that tree comes from a local supplier.

"We try to get everything locally and really, you can get anything on your doorstep."

Both Cannock and Hednesford got theirs from the firm Treeways, with Cannock Chase District Council spending £720 and Hednesford Town Council having theirs donated.

Christmas trees have been hitting the headlines elsewhere in the country.

Cardiff city council came under fire for not having a real Christmas tree for its lights switch-on last month.

The tree that took centre stage during the city's festive celebrations was an artificial one made in China.

The authority said it had leased a pre-decorated 131ft tall 'tree-shaped structure' for the next three years.