OVER 1,700 people have signed an online petition against rules introduced by Wiltshire Council that could severely impact this year’s Christmas lights display.
Residents have launched the campaign in response to Wiltshire Council’s ‘Festive lighting in the highway’ policy and guidance document, which bans Christmas lights from being strung between street lighting columns – a ‘major’ part of the town’s display for over 30 years – because of safety concerns.
It also disallows the use of ladders being leant against lighting columns as part of the installation process – a key method used by volunteers from the Melksham Christmas Lights group to decorate the town.
For those without access to the internet, town councillor Vanessa Fiorelli has organised for a paper version of the petition to be made available at the Tourist Information Centre and Melksham Post Office. The petition will be available to sign up until the end of October, when it will then be taken to County Hall in Trowbridge to be presented to Wiltshire Council.
Discussions are ongoing between the Melksham Christmas Lights Group and Wiltshire Council to resolve the issue, but Paul Weymouth from the group has told Melksham News that ‘the fight continues’.
“Hopefully we can resolve this,” he said, “but the community are so passionate about the lights, I don’t think people are going to let this drop!”
To sign the petition visit: www.change.org/p/wiltshire-council-melksham-christmas-lights or visit the Tourist Information Centre or Melksham Post Office, to sign a paper copy.
