£18k Christmas lights bill as Covid hits new contract
ASHBOURNE Town Council is going to have to spend nearly £18,500 on another year’s use of the town’s Christmas lights because the pandemic led to difficulties in arranging a new contract.
Specialist firm Protech has been putting up, taking down and storing the glittering displays that hang over Ashbourne’s key streets for many years,
But last Christmas members of the town council’s environment committee hoped to be walking potential new providers around the town in a bid to price up a more competitive deal.
However, the lockdowns meant this complex tendering process was not able to go ahead fully and councillors realised at a meeting last week they would have no choice but to go ahead with another year’s cycle with Protech, which will cost £18,491.
This cost will fund another complete year-long cycle of putting up, taking down and storing the complex frames of lighting, which are in some cases coming close to the end of their life, and may need replacing as part of a new contract.
Councillor Anthony Bates explained to members: “The contract ends in December this year, so they’re putting them up this year and that’s when the contract ends.
“We walked around with two companies at the beginning of the year when they were still in situ, but with everything that’s gone on this year, we’ve not been able to sort out what we want, so the suggestion is to extend the contract for another year to sort it out properly.
“We need to draw up a full spec of what we want. And I feel we need the whole environment committee to go around, decide what we want, and then to go to companies with a full spec.”
Members admitted they had been “backed into a little bit of a corner”, given the situation that Covid had put them in, as it was too late to arrange for a new contract with a company that could take the lights down, store them, refurbish or replace them and then put them up again in December 2022.
The members agreed they would proactively work over this festive season on inviting firms to see the town’s setup, and drawing up a detailed specification of what they wanted on display and where, so a new contract could be signed during next year.
During the meeting, held in the council chamber on Wednesday, the council also agreed to spend a slice of its Christmas budget on solarpowered trees for lamposts and other street furniture this year, which last year cost £880 plus VAT.
It was also agreed to commit to having a Christmas tree in the Market Place again this year, and that cost £720 plus a £200 removal fee, plus VAT in 2020.
The lights switch-on was also discussed at the meeting, with a “low-key” event planned for Friday, November 26, which would see winners of a children’s colouring competition invited to press the button at 6.30pm.
This will be followed by a Christmas Cracker Trail around the town, with a selection of shop windows displaying crackers and families invited to track them down for a competition.
Details of the Ashbourne Late Night Shopping event are being finalised by a Christmas Committee that works with other organising groups but it is expected to feature a static lantern display rather than a procession, and charities are being contacted with an offer of free stalls on the night.
Charities keen on requesting a stall are invited to contact the town council on 01335 342291.
They’re putting them up this year and that’s when the contract ends.
Cllr Anthony Bates