Isle of Wight: Ryde Christmas plans could be scaled back

Other options for Ryde town centre are being considered

Christmas decorations on the Isle of Wight may be scaled back this year.

Ryde Town Council has decided to cut back on the lights and Christmas trees it usually provides around the town.

It said the decision was due to issues with the location of Christmas trees and the poor condition of some of the lighting fixtures.

A working group has been set up to look at alternative options and is expected to make a number of recommendations to the council.

The authority had spent £39,000 on star lighting that was in place for two seasons but the clerk Lisa Dyer said most had failed, were unusable and needed replacing.

She said this would be a huge cost for the council, which decided not to buy more.

The authority would instead investigate the use of ex-hire stock to provide some lighting in the town and allow time for other ideas, such as floodlighting St Thomas' Church and concentrating lighting on Union Street and Cross Street.

Some areas of the town, such as the square by the Co-op, will instead be improved with lighting and features to provide "photo opportunities", councillors agreed.

In previous years, trees at St Thomas' Square and Town Square were vandalised, with baubles removed and smashed, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.