Christmas costs town’s taxpayers over £7,000

11:13am Sunday 6th April 2008

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CHRISTMAS celebrations in Knutsford cost taxpayers £7,725, it emerged last week.

The bulk of the money - about £7,000 - was spent fitting the lights and replacing faulty bulbs.

The total figure also included £147 for a tree in Canute Place and £598 on electricity to power the town's display.

Deputy mayor Tony Want, who helped to organise the celebrations, said it was difficult to know how much money to devote to the lights.

"It's over a short time period in the year but people do like to see it," he said.

"It is a question of balancing the cost with the benefit of drawing people to the town."

He said the town council were considering how to improve the display.

"We are looking at doing it piecemeal," he said.

"We could look at improving the lighting in Canute Place and then do something else next year."

But Councillor Want said costs did need to be kept under control.

"Alderley Edge spent £40,000," he said.

"That does seem to be a large amount of money for quite a short time."