Crewe Town councillors have hit back in a row with their Nantwich rivals over a set of Christmas lights.
They have called for them to be returned so they can be used in Crewe town centre, despite Cheshire East Council donating them to Nantwich.
And, in a statement, Crewe Town Council have asked for light to be shed on how they came to be offered to Nantwich.
The row, revealed by Nantwichnews last week, has soured relations between the councils, and Cheshire East Council leader Michael Jones today said the public “deserved better”.
The lights were taken down from Crewe after Christmas 2013, and stored at Pyms Lane.
The Crewe Town Council statement added: “Had these lights been surplus to requirement then best practice would normally be to have offered them to all the Towns and Parishes.
“Crewe Town Council looked at its plans for Christmas 2014 in January this year and concluded it would utilise the Crewe lights, and have previously stated that some of the lights were bought by the Crewe Charter Trustees.
“The fundamental point is for the ‘Crewe Lights’ to be available for deployment in Crewe this year and beyond; also noting that Nantwich Town Council already had its own lights in 2013.”
Cllr Kevin Hickson, leader of Crewe Town Council, said Nantwich Town Council deputy leader Cllr David Marren had put the local authorities “in a very difficult position” by accepting the lights.
“We plan to invest in the lights over the next few years, but we need a core of illuminations to provide the base for improvement,” said Cllr Hickson.
“Now that they are fully aware I have no doubt they will see sense and ensure the Crewe lights are available for deployment in Crewe.
“I will continue to work with Cheshire East Council to ensure this happens in the same spirit of cooperation that we have been seeing recently.”
However, Cheshire East Council Leader Cllr Michael Jones said: “Crewe Town Council did not want the lights. The lights have never belonged to Crewe Town Council.
“Nantwich Town Council did want the lights and they have spent money to repair them.
“I do not understand why Crewe Town Council is making an issue when they rejected the lights.
“It is more ineptness and I, and the great people of Cheshire, expect and deserve better.”
Last week, Cllr David Marren stated: “The lights were not bought by Crewe Town Council or the Crewe Charter Trustees. They were the property of Cheshire East.
“Nantwich Town Council has acted in good faith on the strength of the offer from Cheshire East and has incurred considerable expense in finding storage space within council premises.
“It now plans to devote staff resource to the renovation of the lights to enable them to be used in the town centre in future.”
(Crewe Christmas Lights pic by Jonathan White)
Oh, dear! Shock, horror! Christmas lights are just so important. I am going to lose hours of sleep over this.
Lol! HoHoHoHo!
Just what I was thinking too. 🙂