Christmas Lights Expenditure for 2023 and 2024
Case reference FOI2024/01813
Received 28 October 2024
Published 6 November 2024
Request
The purpose of this request is to gather data on the average figure the council spends on Christmas lights and decorations.
Specifically, I am seeking information on the following:
1. The annual spend on Christmas lights per year, for the following years:
• 2023
• 2024 (estimated)
2. The annual spend on Christmas decorations (e.g. trees), for the following years:
• 2023
• 2024 (estimated)
3. Have you re-used Christmas Decorations / Lights from a previous year
Yes
No
4. The amount spent by the council on celebrities to turn on Christmas Lights
• In 2023
• In 2024 (predicted)
For the purpose of this FOI, a celebrity is not the local mayor or MP. It is anyone who has appeared on television, reality television, it is people in the media, athletes, authors, etc.
5. Name of celebrity who turned on Christmas lights for the Council
• In 2023
• In 2024 (predicted)
Response
The purpose of this request is to gather data on the average figure the council spends on Christmas lights and decorations.
Specifically, I am seeking information on the following:
1. The annual spend on Christmas lights per year, for the following years:
• 2023
• 2024 (estimated)
Answer: Herefordshire Council owns and runs the Maylords Shopping Centre, Hereford. The total costs of Christmas lights in Maylords in the 2023 was £16,388. It is estimated to be the same costs for 2024.
2. The annual spend on Christmas decorations (e.g. trees), for the following years:
• 2023
• 2024 (estimated)
Answer: Herefordshire Council owns the tree outside Maylords Shopping Centre, and the cost to install and take the tree down is £5,000 per year. There are no other trees used and no costs are spent on decorations.
3. Have you re-used Christmas Decorations / Lights from a previous year?
Yes
No
Answer: Yes, we re-use the same lights every year.
4. The amount spent by the council on celebrities to turn on Christmas Lights
• In 2023
• In 2024 (predicted)
For the purpose of this FOI, a celebrity is not the local mayor or MP. It is anyone who has appeared on television, reality television, it is people in the media, athletes, authors, etc.
Answer: N/A. Celebrities do not turn on the Christmas lights at Maylords Shopping Centre.
5. Name of celebrity who turned on Christmas lights for the Council
• In 2023
• In 2024 (predicted)
Answer: N/A
Please be advised the lights / trees / decorations in Hereford City are either the responsibility of the City Council or are privately owned. To obtain details of those organised by the City Council you will need to contact them direct via: clerk@herefordcitycouncil.gov.uk
The rest of the lights / trees / decorations in the market towns in Herefordshire are the responsibility of the relevant town councils, and to obtain this information you would need to contact them direct as follows:
Bromyard – clerk@bromyardandwinslow-tc.gov.uk
Kington – clerk@kingtontowncouncil.gov.uk
Ledbury – clerk@ledburytowncouncil.gov.uk
Leominster – townclerk@leominstertowncouncil.gov.uk
Ross on Wye – admin@rosstc-herefordshire.gov.uk
Documents
This is Herefordshire Council's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.
You can browse our other responses or make a new FOI request.