Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Switching on to importance of Christmas lights
Future provision of Christmas lighting across North Lanarkshire is to be considered by the area’s new community boards following this year’s controversial council decision to cease the annual festive displays.
The area’s nine local decisionmaking groups – including one each for Airdrie and Coatbridge, plus a Northern Corridor board covering areas including Glenboig and Chryston – will be able to look at the issue of lighting for 2021 using participatory budgeting powers which allocate spending to projects identified by local residents.
Councillors voted at their latest meeting to “work with boards and other stakeholders to facilitate and support opportunities to have festive lighting continue in our communities”, noting that: “The Scottish Government and [councils’ organisation] Cosla have an agreed position that one per cent of the council’s budget must be spent on local priorities determined by the community.”
Airdrie Central representative Trevor Douglas unsuccessfully proposed that North Lanarkshire should reverse its budget decision to stop providing Christmas lighting to save a combined £ 250,000 per year, but his suggestion received eight votes compared to 64 for the community budgeting plan.
SNP councillor Agnes Magowan, who brought forward the participatory budgeting plan, said: “I’m a huge supporter of community empowerment and I’m delighted that it’s recognised in the motion for some of the community grant and participatory budget to be spent on erecting lights and Christmas trees in our communities in 2021 and beyond.”
She praised organisations across North Lanarkshire who stepped in and raised funds to ensure there would be lights in their respective areas after they “realised Christmas lights had been cut out of the budget”, calling their displays “a beacon of hope and much-needed happiness in these times” and adding: “It shows the power of communities.”
The successful motion agreed that “communities should be placed at the heart of decision- making on issues such as Christmas lighting,” but
Conservative member Councillor Douglas says this year’s savings cut should have been overturned.
He told the Advertiser: “Having a Christmas tree and lights really makes a big difference to the look of our town centres, and this year it’s just looked like a Monday in the middle of February.
“We highlighted this in February as we knew people would be upset about it. Festive lights should be the council’s job and the cost isn’t a lot in budget terms but makes a big difference
to towns and villages.
“My intention is to bring it up again next year to see what can be done. Community groups stepped up in various areas but some towns and villages don’t have the groups or the funds to do that.
“Participatory budgeting is fantastic and puts democracy in the hands of local groups to get what they want for their area, like play areas or car parking – but it will only work if people step up to push for Christmas lights for their area.”