Harry Turley, 13, of Shifnal, wants to improve the town’s Christmas lights
A 13-year-old boy was so disappointed with the lack of sparkle in his hometown’s Christmas lights that he has helped organise a public meeting calling for them to be improved.
Harry Turley, from Shifnal, said the town’s new lights were too drab and he wanted them restored to their former glory. Harry, who goes to Idsall School, has booked Shifnal Village Hall, in Aston Street, for a public meeting.
It will takes place on December 20 at 7pm.
He has joined forces with disgruntled residents Caroline Killen and Val Mountford to launch the protest, which also includes a petition.
He said: “The old lights used to make us stand out from every other town but now we are just like any other town and we want the old ones back.”
He said he hoped members of the town council would attend the meeting to answer people’s questions about the health and safety tests needed to bring the old lights back into use.
However, the Mayor of Shifnal, Councillor Eileen Briscoe, said new regulations ‘meant the historic display cannot be reused for a variety of reasons’.
Jill Cherrington, of Weston Close, said: “Everybody is so disappointed with the lights because they are so bland. We usually have people come from miles around to see them but this year everybody is up in arms.”
Helen Irvine is also upset at the ‘sheer depressing quality’ of the lights this year. “I do begrudge paying my council tax when, in this instance, the lights are so few, not very exciting – appalling, in my opinion,” she said.
“I have lived in Shifnal over 16 years and every year the lights were wonderful. The whole thing has left me feeling quite sad.”
Councillor Briscoe added that the volunteers who usually put up the lights were no longer in a position to comply with health and safety legislation.
She added: “It is intended that the current display will be built upon year on year with public support. In essence, the council is where the volunteers began 30 years ago and the intention is to ensure the display is cost effective and compliant with the regulations.”
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We used to drive the kids down to Shifnal every years to see the Shifnal lights. They used to love going to see them-almost every night for two weeks, sometimes. It was part of the family Christmas tradition.
Boy, were we disappointed with the sub-standard display that’s limply hanging up now. It just looks like any other drab display around Telford, not worth going to re-visit.
Good on Harry for standing up and making himself heard over the lights. I hope the Shifnal community get heard by the Mayor and something gets sorted out before Christmas finally arrives.
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Harry Turley could ask his Dad or Grandad about this – seeing as they are both Town Councillors. They both know that the current lights are too heavy to be mounted in the way that they were.
It seems to me that they are exploiting poor Harry for political gain.
How stupid is it that Town Councillors are organising protest meetings to argue with the Twon Council?
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THIS MEANS THAT IT WILL TAKE ANOTHER 30 YEARS TO BUILD UP A DECENT LIGHT DISPLAY AND IT WILL BE DOWN TO SHIFNAL RESIDENTS TO PUT THEIR HANDS IN THEIR POCKETS TO BUY NEW LIGHT EVERY YEAR!!!!
I DON’T THINK I WILL BE PUTTING MY HAND IN MY POCKET FOR THIS SHIFNAL COUNCIL, THE SAME COUNCIL WHO HAS TAKEN AWAY OVER 30 YEARS OF HARD WORK BY THE LOCAL VOLUNTEERS AND TOTALLY RIPPED THE HEART OUT OF SHIFNAL!!!!!
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You appear to be incandescent with anger.
At least now, with a bit of tinsel, you could stand in the town centre and cheer everyone up.
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hiya guys
im glad this has been printed and will get a copy tomorrow to view as i didnt no it was in, and well done harry shifnal is proud of you and i for one supports you 100%
there is a public meeting which i recommend pople to attend at shifnal village hall on 20th dec 7-9pm
shifnal once had lights to be proud of and even made midlands news on occasions… so wot went wrong??
if it is as they stated at a recent meeting.. the brackets then why cant the £2,400 raised from public donations and funding help to determine this in black and white with proof instead of spending an approx figure of £19,000 on the new (as pretty as they are…) lights and not ‘fixing’ the old ones we all loved!!
i urge anyone with interest to attend a public meeting to the next ‘shifnal town council’ one held and see for yourself what your council tax is paying for! im sure ull be in for a suprise!!
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Whilst it has been clear for some time that the town council in Shifnal is not fit for purpose, on this issue their hands are tied. The old lights were an accident waiting to happen, and represents years of poor management rather than one year of cuts.
On the issue of cost, the old lights cost many thousands of pounds per winter purely in electricity, is that something that a local council should support in times of rising energy prices and climate change?
Finally, sorry Caroline but the whole of Shifnal does not support Harry’s protest and is actually behind the council on this issue.
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It is wrong to assume that everyone is unhappy with the new lights. Lots of people welcome the change and very much like the new look.
The boy (aged 13) should talk to his father and grandfather who are both Town Councillors in Shifnal and were part of the group that decided to step in and help with the lights.
People need to remember that without the help of the Town Council, Shifnal would not have any lights at all! They have to start somewhere and many people ARE happy with the results.
At the end of the day, the group that used to put up the lights broke health and safety rules and created a big risk to everyone. They were stopped by Shropshire Council, not the Town Council. Our Town Council have come on board to help but the ladies organising this protest do not seem to understand that!
Well done Shifnal Town Council.
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Well said Helen! Couldn’t agree more.
A fair and accurate summary of what is turning out to be a farce.
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I actually like the new lights, they look beautiful in my humble opinion.
Seems a little odd a thirteen year old son of a councillor organising a public meeting, maybe the ghost of christmas future could spread some Chirstmas cheer and clear a few things up.
Merry Christmas one and all, if you like the lights or not!
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Mr Angry needs to get his facts right. Shifnal Town Council did not ‘take away 30 years of hard work’ they stepped in to provide lights when the volunteers broke the law!
These people have clearly not read the press releases from the council which explains in plain English what has happened.
The truth is that the council could have just left Shifnal in the dark, and I am sure that the hard working members are wishing that they had done just that!
Maybe the moaners would prefer that? (it would give them another chance to moan! )
A lot of us (shifnal residents) really, really like, the new lights but Harry and Caroline choose not to hear that! What are Shifnal Town Councillors Keith Turley and Kevin Turley (Harrys dad and grandad) doing exactly? Their 13 year old son and grandson has launched a campaign against them! They need to be clear about where they stand, they are either on the council and work as a team, or they should resign!
I would totally understand if next year the council don’t do anything at all for Christmas.
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The saying goes more is less. In shifnals case whilst we have less lights they are more co-ordinated and in keeping with a more modern look. The previous lights were a mix of old and new and tacky in some places. Lets give the council a chance. Next year i am sure there will be more. More importantly though is the health and safety and the running cost. £3000 -4000 verse £300-500 for the new led lights. Did residents know the running cost comes out of your council tax. I also endorse what Helen A said and question whether Harry is realy the one who is organising the meeting especially as he was one of the helpers on the evening of the switch on and seemed to quite like them. Common sense needs to prevail in shifnal. I assume the previous lights committee will be handing All their donnations (in the region of £5000 from the shifnal residents to the council to help with the running costs?
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I’m a Shifnal resident and really can’t understand why people are complaining about the Christmas lights. In my opinion, they are a vast improvement on the tacky lights from previous years, however I really feel people really need some perspective here – we have got a great place to live, a real thriving community and there are much bigger issues out there to get worked up over. Lets enjoy Christmas and be thankful for what we do have!
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Here here!!!!
Merry Christmas!
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well said Leanne, Shifnal is a brilliant place to live and we agree the new lights are a credit to the town.
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Well said
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Isn’t it odd that as people have come forward in support of the lights and the ‘active’ Councillors, the whole Turley family, Caroline Killen and Valerie mount ford oh and mr Angry have somehow gone just a little quiet!
I guess they do not want to hear that many, Shifnal residents LIKE yes like, the new lights! They need to start listening. If they had listened a year ago when volunteers were asked to come forward, or listened/read the statements of facts from the council, we would not be in the disgraceful position.
Three cheers for Shifnal and for the few Councillors, the mayor and the town clerk that actually care about our town.
Remember, the town council got us out of a mess created by some volunteers. It is the Town Council that is keeping our streets safe. It was their fault that the whistle was blown.
Now please can we all get on with Christmas and think about the starving children and people who don’t have any water! There are people who are So poorly they will not see 2012 .
Happy Christmas everyone.
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As another Shifnal resident who is in favour of new, SAFE Christmas Lights, I’d like to say how refreshing it is to see some positive comments on a website. A far cry from the bordering abusive comments seen on a certain facebook group page, just from voicing a different opinion!
Thank goodness for the Council!
Also, I’d like to say that my festive period has not been ‘ruined’ because Shifnals lights have changed, but by all the moaners who are so ungrateful and abusive to a Council who are trying to do the best job they can!
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The only thing I find disappointing about the new arrangement is the absence of any greeting on the railway bridge. And how about a few lights on the ‘Co-Op’ side of Bradford Street?
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It was planned there’d be some on the brackets but they’re fixed into mortar do aren’t safe.
To have the bridge lights they have to have permission granted by the railway owners, not given and previously not asked for.
So hopefully next year there will be some more :) if the council don’t wash their hands all together after all this!
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I think you will find that it is down to Network Rail! They have to give permission for anything to be hung on THIER bridge! No one from network rail could or would give an answer! Of course the ‘volunteers’ just ‘did it’ like so many other things.
The council had ordered lights to go on all of the brackets on the shops. When the contractors came to fit them, they discovered that the brackets were drilled in to mortar not brick and were not strong enough to hold the new lights. So there were going to be more lights but the old brackets ‘stopped the job’
Next year all this will be sorted and we will have more lights!
Tis the season to be jolly!
festive greetings to all the happy people of Shifnal (and there are many)
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Illuminati – you will find that the railway bridge banner wasn’t put up because permission couldn’t be obtained from network rail in time. Is 1 item that will be looked at v carefully for re-use I’m sure.
The motifs by co-op & spar were ordered ready, but it is those brackets that were found to be un usable.
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