Ashby de la Zouch Town Council plans to get 'best deal they can' for this year's Christmas lights - with a potential shortfall of £24,000 due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic to consider.

The recent meeting of the council's Events and Entertainment committee agreed there must be lights of some description after a year which Covid-19 have forced so many cancellations in Ashby over the past few months.

However, the council does not want to spend £13,000 on lights, which was the cost last Christmas.

It was pointed out that it would be too expensive to light the whole of the town.

But councillors refused to accept the idea of having no lights at all.

The committee agreed that Town Centre Manager Stuart Benson should try and negotiate a cheaper deal with suppliers Lumalite.

But while the council has saved money from the cancellation of planned events, and North West Leicestershire District Council may be able to assist in easing the town council's shortfall, it was felt that spending as much money on lights as last year was something that could not be afforded.

Cllr Mike Ball commented: "I think it's important we put something up, I really do, it's been a miserable year and to have no lights whatsoever would be very remiss of us.

"But I wanted to ask if the town council's events committee has money up its sleeve as so many events have been cancelled this year?"

Town clerk Jack Fargher responded: "Although we have 'saved' money, if that's the right term, with VE Day 75 not happening, but the real impact on the finances of the town council is the loss of income at Legion House.

"Potentially, we are looking at a loss of around £24,000 at the end of the financial year because of Covid-19.

"I don't know where that money is going to come from to offset that loss, and one of the areas we might have to look at is non-statutory expenditure - and I'm afraid Christmas lights is one of those things.

"It's what's called discretionary expenditure, something we don't have to spend money on.

"I take on board that it's been a miserable year and we really need to do something to brighten the town up and make people feel more into the Christmas spirit.

"Whether we can go to the lengths we have in the past is another question entirely.

"The only people who've started back at Legion House are Weightwatchers. The best case is that we could be £12,000 short but up to 24,000.

"But there should be money in the pot from our cancelled events. We have to set a figure and get as good a scheme as we can for that figure.

Cllr Geraint Jones expressed concern over the money that has been spent in previous years and said: "I think there is a danger of the Christmas lights budget running away with us.

"We have to look very hard at this. I support that we need Christmas lights, but the expenditure seems to be around £5,000-£7,500 more than it should be.

"I'm concerned that we've been extravagant with public money over the past few years.

"But the town council should be seen to be contributing towards Christmas."

The company providing the lights, Lumalite, have offered to copy last year's price of £13,000 this Christmas, but that does not include a tree - one for Ashby and Blackfordby.

But Cllr Ball said that 'corners may have to be cut' to reduce the cost.

He added: "I do feel we have to be doing something this Christmas, it'll be miserable otherwise."

Cllr Graham Allman agreed and said: "We'll take a right kicking over this if we don't do something.

"It's not going to affect any Covid measures. We're supposed to be supporting traders, they'll bounce back at us and quite rightly too."

Cllr Barbara Kneale added: "I believe that we should do something, but whether we can justify spending £13,000 when we're going to be £24,000 in the red at the end of the year, is a lot to swallow.

"Can we just have Christmas trees and let individual businesses do their own decoration. A nice tree will make a lot of difference but £13,000 is a lot of money that maybe we cannot afford."

Council leader Cllr John Coxon added: 'We can't just leave the town in darkness. But the costs are escalating, it's something we have to bear in mind when we do another contract with the supplier.

"As for the £24,000 shortfall, I have written to North West Leicestershire District Council to make them aware. Hopefully they'll chuck us a few coppers.

"We do need to brighten the town up, I agree we should do something but get the best value we can."

Town centre manager Stuart Benson said there could be a scenario where the council goes back to the suppliers and says Ashby is going for less of scheme and asking what could be provided.

Cllr Andreas Ioannou-Nikou said: "I would go back to them with that, we cannot light the whole of Ashby, the cost would be too high."

Cllr Kneale added: "We should be bold and go back, it's like haggling for anything."