How much councils in Hampshire spent on Christmas lights
Here’s how much councils spent on Christmas decorations this year.
The executive member for leisure and community at Fareham Borough Council, Cllr Sue Walker, said: ‘The Christmas lights themselves are funded as part of a five-year contracted scheme, so the £49,665 cost is spread across that period.
‘In addition, we also offered traders further along West Street and the High Street a free set of Christmas lights to display in their shop windows.
‘A total of 86 traders have now received a 20-metre string of lights which are designed to complement the colour and design of the wider festive lighting scheme.
A spokesperson from Gosport Borough Council said: ‘The council bought its own lights in 2019 and remain in good working condition.’
In the 2019 budget the cost of those lights was estimated to be £25,000 - the total budget for decorations and entertainment this year was £33,800.
A statement from Havant Borough Council said: ‘We have contributed £3,406 towards lights from our community fund and £30,272 from the Welcome Back Fund, comprising £10,190 for Havant Park lights, £4995 for the Meridian Centre's polar bear, £500 for Emsworth, £8,587 for borough-wide illuminations, £6,000 for The Spring.’
Towns, parishes and business associations in East Hampshire fund their own lights but the council said it had supported them this year through the Welcome Back Fund. It said it had provided £11,127 so far, with £8,628 for Alton and £2,499 for Whitehill & Bordon.