Locals turned off by Shifnal’s new lights
Wednesday 21st December 2011, 10:59AM GMT.
Hundreds of angry residents turned out to a heated public meeting organised by a 13-year-old boy to demand the return of Shifnal’s historic Christmas lights display.
About 200 people packed Shifnal Village Hall last night to discuss the lights after residents complained about the loss of the old displays which were replaced after three decades this year because of safety concerns.
Residents expressed anger over the change, resulting in an hour of heated exchanges.
But there was a victory for people power when the town’s mayor Councillor Eileen Briscoe said the town council would try to reinstate some of the old lights.
She said: “If the lights are suitable to be put back up once they’ve been tested, they will be put back up if that’s what people want.”
Her promise was met with applause. The meeting was organised by 13-year-old Harry Turley along with fellow Shifnal residents Caroline Killen and Valerie Mountford.
Today Harry said: “The turnout was good and from what the council said near the end it was what we hoped for.
“A lot of people had their say. We had to turn quite a few people away.”
Earlier resident Jenny Johnson pleaded for the return of the traditional decorations. She said: “The lights belong to everyone – that’s why we are so proud of them.”
But Margaret Lokier, a safety consultant for the town council, explained the decision followed new regulations by Shropshire Council.
She added the local authority said that brackets used to hang the lights and the lights themselves needed to undergo new tests.
Some residents said that the £30,000 spent on new lights should have been used to test the old equipment.
Resident Dave Storey said: “People used to come here to see the lights, now they come for a laugh.”
Councillor Alison Jackson said councillors would be liable for any injuries if they ignored legislation. She said: “I’m not going to prison for any of you. We are trying to do our best for you.”
Councillors agreed to work with residents to try and resurrect as much of the old display as possible in 2012.
The old lights are currently in two storage containers in Shifnal at a cost of £90 per week.
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I’m sorry, but it’s been said time and time again that Harry did not organise this meeting.
As usual councillors not telling the truth.
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So… Who organised it?
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90 quid a week for storage? you’re being ripped off, I’d look elsewhere.
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they could spend that £90 feeding a few homeless people egg on toast or beans!!
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Come on please, at least you have lights up, the new lights that are up are nice enough, your hardly Haughton
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Yes storage for 11 months, work that out. What a waste of money. Surely they can be stored in a sports hall some where or in offices or a room the council no longer use for free! Use ones head here and save money. Check the lights and if they are fit for purpose then put them up, if not then replace them especially if one is saving money on storage fees the money is there to use to fix and replace. People have to be sensible its no good putting lights up if they arent any good.
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The members of the Town Council should remember they are there as representitives elected by the public to fight for what is important to the the electorate not, as it would seem, to impose their individual wishes.
It is quite clear that factions within the Town Council have disregarded the electorates wishes with regards to this issue. Whether this is to divert efforts / funds to other events, i suppose we will never know.
Like them or not, the 2011 display is a pale shaddow of previous years,a display for which the town has become well known for. The Town Council have clearly not tried hard enough to resolve the issue, perhaps concentrating too much on other events for the purpose of massaging egos.
I am sure that Gerald, Jim and the other volunteers walk through the town with a feeling of dissapointment.
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As usual the blame is put on health and safety.
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Thank you to all who attended the Village Hall meeting, it was a very lively debate, perhaps now the people who run our Town through their position on the Council will realise that the people of Shifnal are not a push over.
Shifnal had its own Arab Spring last night people power can topple dictators
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How you can compare an argument about Christmas lights in Shifnal to the arrest , torture , and murder of thousands of innocent people at the hands of un-elected dictators really does bring the importance of this issue into perspective..
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Well said Spencer!
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1st world problems huh?
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Newport lights are fantastic this year with a change of contractors, perhaps eek advice their, either way Christmas lights are great for community spirit..
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The meeting last night was a disgrace with many people behaving like caged animals! The people had not read the facts as issued by the council. They would not listen to the facts. I now wish the council had not tried to help out, that way shifnal would be in darkness and we would not have these dreadful comments being made on their facebook site etc.
I see no reason at all for the council to pay to store something which does not belong to them! The volunteers made it clear that these are their lights and so should store their own equipment!
Finally, people were not turned away from the meeting last night, it was well attended but by no means full.
Now can we get on with Christmas and let’s think of far more important things, homeless, starving, dying. . . .
Happy Christmas
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Some people like the new lights, some people like the old lights.
This is not about taste.
This is about being safe, it’s about big heavy lights falling off their brackets, possibly onto a person or a child.
Surely the council and this includes ALL Councillors have a responsibility to ensure that the lights are safe!
END of story!
You can say you WANT something over and over, it does not mean you will get it!
A group of volunteers landed the council with this problem. Now,
Take your lights and get them tested, it really is that simple!
A man at the meeting said it was simple and cheap to do, he is an electrician so I suggest he does it and returns with the required certificates. Simple and cheap!
This council should not be paying for the storage of something which does not belong to them. Please take your lights to the testing station!
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Well said James! Lots of people really like the new lights, they are just not feeling the need to be rowdy and shout about it!
They are lights, that all!
I agree the TC should not have to pay for storage!
Anybody listening?
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People who ‘tried’ to speak were criticised for not having lived in shifnal long and yet a councillor who was in defense of the old lights doesn’t live there at all. The behaviour of people at that meeting was appalling and a frightening example to the youth who thankfully were not present to witness it. I don’t know why the council have bothered to help at all. I would package the lights up and leave them on their front doors to fix, check and sort out. There seemed to be a lot of ‘experts’ at the meeting, leave them to it I say.
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Agreed Annie, one of the old lights is already at one of the volunteers ‘front doors’ or rather hanging on his house!
By the way, the councillor who does not live in Shifnal, also voted like all the rest of the council, for the NEW lights at a council meeting!
He is one of a group on the council who say one thing in the council meeting and says something else to the public who he wants to vote for him!
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tonight I went into Shifnal and I thought how nice and fresh the lights looked, a nice change from the usual strings of coloured lights just slung across the roads.
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