In 2023, BCP Council announced it would no longer be funding Christmas lights to cut costs. It has previously been reported that this cut would save the local authority £50,000.
Winton ward Councillor Chris Rigby said that in 2024, Forge Motors paid the council directly to have the lights installed which cost £447.50. However, last year Cllr Rigby was told in mid-October that the council would no longer be installing lights due to processing changes which meant that private contractors would have to be used.
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Cllr Rigby said: “To make sure Winton didn’t go dark, I took on the project privately, managing contractors, negotiating council permissions and securing legal sign-off from SSEN for power. The cost of doing this properly came to £2,160. Forge Motors have been brilliant; they backed this for the second year running and contributed £750. I covered the remaining £1,410 out of my own pocket to make sure our high street stayed festive.
“In 2025, Winton was the only area outside of those covered by Business Improvement Districts to have lamp post mounted festive lights. I’m incredibly proud of that and think that’s worth protecting.”
Usually town councils fund Christmas lights through their own budgets, often using money raised from the local council tax precept or through community fundraising. But despite new town councils being set up in three areas, with councillor elections taking place on May 7, no money has been set aside for Christmas lights in Bournemouth or Poole.
Broadstone Town Council, however, has been allocated £3,000 in its first-year budget specifically for Christmas lights.
A £440 administration charge is also going to be applied to BCP Council Christmas Lights application form. Anyone wishing to apply to install Christmas Lights needs to submit an application before June 30.
This year Cllr Rigby has launched a Crowdfunder fundraiser to raise money for 2026 so that the Christmas lights can once again be installed in Winton, with the potential of getting a Christmas tree in the Library Garden if enough money is raised.