Kirklees Christmas trees face axe due to council cutbacks

A cash-strapped council has axed funding for community Christmas trees.

Labour-run Kirklees Council said it could no longer afford to pay for community Christmas trees or subsidise the cost.

It comes after the council froze all non-essential spending as it looks to save £47m.

Green opposition group leader Andrew Cooper described it as a case of "Kirklees cancels Christmas".

He told BBC Radio Leeds people would struggle to find the money and faced losing "things that are part of the fabric of the year".

Communities which want a public Christmas tree will now have to pay £1,100, councillors have been told.

The council said it had "never offered free trees across the board" but had previously provided "a handful" to community groups as well as subsidising all trees across the district.

Gwen Lowe, cabinet member for environment, said the local authority would still provide free trees in the four major town centres of Huddersfield, Dewsbury, Batley and Cleckheaton "to provide festive cheer for residents and businesses".

"Due to the current financial situation, though, the council is no longer in a position to subsidise community trees so costs would have to be met fully by the ward or group," she added.

The council said it would still provide help community groups with the "sourcing, delivery, installation, lighting and disposal" of trees.

The local authority recorded a £27m overspend on its budget in 2022/23 and warned earlier this month it could be effectively declared bankrupt if it did not slash its spending.

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