Smaller towns in Angus are being discriminated against when it comes to Christmas lighting as they have little or no common good fund.
Councillor Helen Oswald, SNP representative for Carnoustie, was speaking as the council’s infrastructure and corporate services committees discussed policies on festive lighting on Thursday night.
The committee heard that Arbroath planned to use between £35,000 and £50,000 from its common good fund to upgrade its lighting next year.
However, Councillor Oswald said she found it “extremely disappointing” that towns which did not have a common good fund, such as Carnoustie, could not draw upon such money to carry out similar improvements.
In addition, Kirriemuir councillors said that their common good fund was insufficient as regards upgrading Christmas lighting.
Mrs Oswald said, “I don’t think it is fair that in some Angus towns the Christmas lights are mind shattering, whereas in others they are not.”
Montrose Community Council was praised by local representative David May for its fund-raising efforts as regards Christmas lighting in the town over the past few years.
It plans to spend £2755 from its common good fund on ongoing running costs over the next year.
Meanwhile, Forfar councillor Glennis Middleton said the sum of £10,000 from the common good fund had been agreed as regards maintaining Christmas lights over the coming year.
However, she added, “That’s not to say that more money from the Forfar common good fund will not be spent on Christmas lights in future.
“Forfar Community Council has done some sterling work fund-raising for the Christmas lights but that can’t be done every year.”
Photo used under Creative Commons licence courtesy of Flicker user littleamandie.