Town’s Christmas tree to be home-grown for future generations?

MELKSHAM Town Council is to explore growing its own Christmas trees to use for the annual festive display in the Market Place.

The idea could save the council, who last year paid almost £1,000 for a tree from a supplier in Newbury, thousands of pounds in the future.

Proposing the idea at last month’s town council community development meeting, cllr Mike Sankey said, “We might not see this in our lifetime – these trees could takes decades to grow – but I would like to see us start growing our own Christmas trees. It would save money for the town council of the future.”

Deputy mayor, cllr Hayley Spencer added, “If we plant 20 trees, that’s 20 years of Christmas trees, and over £20,000 saved for the town council. We would be planting a generation of trees for the next generation of Melksham.

Councillors resolved to look further into the idea, and to research where in the town the trees could be planted.

Also at the meeting, councillors voted in favour of recommending that the Christmas tree budget be increased from £1,000 to £1,200.