The Butt Lane Christmas Tree is soon to be put right with much improved festive lighting.

It all started last week when the Butt Lane Christmas Tree was put in its usual place by the display boards on Congleton road.  Contractors hired by Newcastle Borough Council put the Tree in place along with a set of lights.  The lights can only be described as wholly inadequate and attracted a lot of negative attention and complaints from local residents.  Local Councillors including myself, Elsie Bates (cabinet member for culture), John Taylor and Sylvia Dymond intervened.  We all protested that the original Christmas lights which incidentally had been donated by John Taylor whilst serving as a County Councillor be returned to their rightful place (on the Butt Lane Christmas tree).  After contacting Newcastle Borough Council and working with very helpful officers we have managed to arrange for the contractors to install better lights fit for the Butt Lane tree.  This will be completed within the next few days.  I would like to take this opportunity in thanking all those involved for securing a positive outcome for this problem.

Councillor Elsie Bates, Cabinet member for culture at Newcastle Borough Council.

Following on from this I have called for a review of Kidsgrove’s lights and believe we as a town can do much better to light up the Christmas period.  Many people say Alsager put us to shame but we must remember that a lot of Alsager’s investment has come from the Round Table, Town Centre Partnership and Chamber of Trade.  Over the next few years Kidsgrove Town Council, Newcastle Borough Council and soon to be appointed Town Centre manager plan to work together with local business and other agencies to set up our own Town Centre partnership with the aim of improving all aspects of Kidsgrove Town Centre.  This includes the improvement of events and Christmas lighting in our town centre and in the centre of Butt Lane.