Newport spending with aim to cut Christmas lights bill
Tuesday 18th January 2011, 8:15PM GMT.
Newport looks set to splash out nearly £25,000 on its Christmas lights in a bid to slash its festive electricity bill by a third every year, it was revealed today.
Officials on Newport Town Council are looking to introduce a scheme to cut the lights electricity bill for ratepayers from £1,600 to £1,000.
The town council has landed a grant of £24,500 for the project and is expected to rubberstamp a proposal on January 26 to splash out on LED lights, which cost much less to run.
Council clerk Lee Jakeman said he hoped the move would see nicer lights in the town and at a reduced cost. The grant has been awarded to the town by Telford & Wrekin Council.
Mr Jakeman said: “It’s excellent use of the grant money because at the moment the residents pay for the lights, the businesses do not contribute other than a small Christmas tree above their doors.
“Some of it will be spent on engineering and wall brackets, as well as the lights.”
The council usually spends about £40,000 a year on its Christmas lights display. But that figure has now gone down to less than £30,000.
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cutting the bill from 1,600 to 1,000 per year, by spending £24 GRAND!! that wont pay for itself for nearly 50 years, thats a rubbish idea! Sack your accountants council people have no idea of money shame on them
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its sensible savings like this on energy and such i would like to see more councils do before they close schools, care homes etc, its good for the environment and saves money to use less energy, its about time other bigger parts of government followed Newports lead on this crucial agenda
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So a spend of £25,000 to reduce the electricity bill by £600 per year. Lets see …. that’s a 41.6 year payback. Good job everyone.
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do the maths, thats not a saving!!
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It would have made more sense to ditch the lights all together and rely on cars’ hazard warning lights to provide a festive flavour. After all, people dump their cars all over the place in the centre of Newport and excuse their ignorance of parking restrictions with the use of hazard warning lights.
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