By Julie Waters
THE traditional Christmas light switch on that attracted up to 6,000 people into the centre of Newtownards will not take place this year.
Concerns over bad weather has prompted Ards and North Down Council to opt for a radically different, two-day events programme which centres around a Christmas market in Conway Square.
Paddington themed activities for children will also take place as the grand switch on ceremony is relegated to a minor part of the programme involving the Mayor and Santa.
However, the new programme has been the source of friction between councillors and officials after local politicians were kept in the dark about plans for the new-look event.
Council events staff met with Chamber of Commerce officials to draw up the programme but didn’t inform councillors until earlier this month.
When some councillors asked for the grand Christmas lights switch on to be retained within the new programme, they were told that plans for 20 chalets in Conway Square and problems closing the road meant that could not happen.
Officers have said it is now too late to make any changes to the programme for the event which will take place on November 28 and 29.
While senior council officers have accepted councillors should have been involved in the plans, Strangford MP Jim Shannon has also voiced his concern that local politicians were frozen out of decision making for one of the biggest community events of the year.
The programme came before members of the council’s Place and Prosperity Committee last week where members voiced their concern at the way the changes had been carried out but gave their backing to the scheme plan.
Newtownards UUP councillor Richard Smart said it was ‘unfortunate’ that the event officials’ plan had not been discussed with politicians, the Town and City Advisory Groups or local residents.
Mr Smart acknowledged that the new programme does contain ‘some fantastic market activities’ with family focused events. But he said while some may view the event as the ‘best we have ever had’ others may feel it is ‘the worst’.
“It would have been nice if we were in a position to discuss what’s possible, but I think we all know that time is short in terms of these events and there is limited basis for discussion in terms of changing what is there,” he said.
Mr Smart said that Christmas festivities were ‘slightly unique’ in that other events were focussed on tourism and footfall while the aim of the Yuletide events was to not only build economic development but ‘to have the mind of the community and what they are looking for considered’.
The councillor accepted that officers had engaged with the Chamber, but what was finally agreed may have been different had elected members and the public been consulted.
Mr Smart welcomed that a plan had now been put in place which he said will shape discussion on future Christmas events.
Comber politician Patricia Morgan also welcomed the updated report, saying it was an ‘exciting’ programme that had been scheduled. She said making events weather proof was a ‘genuine issue’ and ‘I hate to think what the costs are when you have to cancel and the disappointment.”
“These are a great list of activities and the review is the bit that is really important, and hopefully this will be even better.”
