Council’s secret Christmas cuts plan is blocked

Council’s secret Christmas cuts plan is blocked

5 July 2017

“SCROOGE-LIKE” council officials want to slash spending on the district’s Christmas celebrations — including axing Newcastle’s unique and celebrated steel tree.

Newry, Mourne and Down Council officials want to cut spending on festive decorations and community parties by up to one third which could leave many towns and villages struggling to provide any Christmas cheer.

One of the most controversial proposals contained in a confidential report obtained by the Recorder, is the ‘chopping down’ of Newcastle’s unusual tree, which is made up of illuminated and interlocking steel balls and which costs £10,000 a year to erect, maintain and remove.

The tree has been highly praised in the resort and across Northern Ireland as one of the most visually striking in the Province but this has not impressed council officials who want to shave over £80,000 from the district’s Christmas celebrations budget.

The report was so contentious when discussed at last week’s Regulatory and Technical Services Committee that it was rejected out of hand by councillors in favour of a council working party that will revisit the matter in time for next year.

However, a council source said senior managers are determined to cut last year’s Christmas celebrations bill of £240,000 by over £80,000 and will push for major changes when the working party meets for the first time in August. The working party’s recommendations, if implemented, will come into effect for Christmas 2018.

The central thrust of the report is that the council is spending too much on Christmas and not in the right places. It argues there is disparity between the seven district electoral areas (DEAs) with the Mournes area, which includes Newcastle, getting the largest amount last year and the second highest amount per head of the population — £57,520, which equates to £3.28 for everyone who lives in the area.

Of the remaining DEAs, spending in Newry totalled £40,388 (£1.47 per head) last year; Slieve Gullion received £37,896 (£3.91); Rowallane got £34,375 (£2.31); Downpatrick came in next with £33,800 (£2.25); Crotlieve, which includes Mayobridge, Hilltown, Rostrevor and Burren, received, £25,686 (£1.64) ; and the lowest spending took place in Slieve Croob  £11,455 (£1.34 per head).

The report produced by council managers wants to slash spending to just under £160,000 and restrict spending per head of the population to £1.47 across all the DEAs.

The favoured way to achieve this is to introduce a four tiered approach to funding Christmas decorations and celebrations.

Tier 1 — Major flagship celebrations in Newry and Downpatrick where there would be Christmas trees, civic buildings would be lit, lights would be mounted on lampposts and on planted trees and there would be a major ‘switch on’ event, costing a maximum of £15,000.

Tier 2 — Flagship celebrations in a town within the remaining five DEAs which would be in Newcastle, Ballynahinch, Warrenpoint, Castlewellan and Crossmaglen. These towns would get a tree, lights on lampposts and planted trees and a ‘switch on’ event costing £5,000.

Tier 3  — Towns and villages such as Ardglass, Killyleagh, Crossgar, Saintfield, Killough, Drumaness, Dundrum, Annalong, Kilkeel, Bessbrook, Hilltown, Mayobridge, Rostrevor and Newtownhamilton. Lights would be provided in streets and on planted trees and communities could apply for funding for celebration events.

Tier 4 — Other areas and community groups who could apply for funding for Christmas events.

The council managers also want to stop the purchase of real trees in favour of artificial trees and believe capital investment is needed to upgrade festive decorations and lights which are of varying quality across the district.

However, there were major concerns when councillors discussed the plan behind closed doors at meeting in Newry recently. 

“It was very Scrooge-like,” said one politician after the meeting.

“It was quite clear the cuts would hit hardest in the former Down Council area with Newcastle, Rowallane and Downpatrick earmarked for big cuts,” he added. “It is no surprise given that Newry would see no Christmas cuts yet Downpatrick and Newcastle would see significant cuts.

“There was a lot of surprise that such drastic cuts were proposed and the way that many areas would be badly hit. It was hardly surprising it was rejected out of hand and officers told to go back to the drawing board,” said the councillor.