Call to bring back Christmas lights in North Lanarkshire
council’s budget in February.The savings package included £150,000 from ceasing Christmas lighting in town centres “to reduce energy, erection, maintenance and storage costs”; plus a further £100,000 which would previously have been spent on illuminating the area’s villages.Both the Labour administration and SNP groups included the cuts in their budgets, but the move was opposed by the Conservatives – whose Airdrie Central representative, Trevor Douglas, says it should be reconsidered. He told the Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser: “It’s ridiculous – Christmas lights are such an important focal point for people and for town centres, especially this year.