WELLINGTON Town Council is expected to investigate the future cost of putting up Christmas lights in the town after facing a bill which has more than doubled since 2015.

Budget costings for 2018-19 showed that the council had put aside £17,000 for the installation of the festive lights but budgeted to pay out £26,636 with this financial year’s budget figure put at £25,000.

Cllr Marcus Barr raised the issue at last week’s town council meeting where he said he was concerned about why the amount paid to Somerset West & Taunton Council – which puts up the lights – had risen so sharply.

The Mayor, Cllr Janet Lloyd, said that as it was not an item on the formal published agenda it could not be discussed in full, although she admitted the cost of Christmas lights was there in black and white in the council papers. “It is on the agenda and it isn’t,” she said.

But council members said Cllr Barr had made a valid point about the cost increase and suggested it should be looked at in the near future.

Cllr Andrew Govier said: “This is a fair point that Marcus has raised here as it’s not sustainable to carry on paying this.”

Figures show that the Christmas lights cost the town council £12,500 in 2015, £14,250 in 2016, £15,000 in 2017 and £24,000 in 2018.

“We obviously need to have the Christmas lights in the town,” added Cllr Govier. “But I think we do need to look at this.”

Cllr Govier, speaking to the WWN after the meeting, added: “The costs involved in putting the lights up etc have escalated quite significantly in the last couple of years with it now being over £20,000.

“I think it is something that we do need to look into and get some costings from other people.”

Cllr Barr last week raised the matter with Somerset West & Taunton Council and it is understood the district authority re-priced the works after discovering it had previously significantly undercharged.

It is expected the town council will look early in the New Year at the financial implications of the annual Christmas lights display in Wellington.

Town council clerk Kathryn Hemensley said the switch-on of the Christmas lights was a highlight in Wellington’s calendar and that councillors were delighted at the large turnout for this year’s switch-on.

“Councillors are aware that the costs for the Christmas lights are significant but consider it to be such an enjoyable event for the community that future plans would focus around trying to reduce costs without cutting back on the activities or the lovely lights,” she told the WWN.