More than 30 communities and villages across Kirklees have ordered Christmas trees from the council at a cost of £1,425 each.

In summer 2023 Kirklees announced it wouldn’t be providing free Christmas trees apart from main ones for Huddersfield, Dewsbury, Batley and Cleckheaton town centres.

Councillors have a budget for each ward and some managed to step in last year to provide trees for smaller communities, but budgets have once again been cut.

Many communities have since rallied around to raise the money to buy a tree from Kirklees which costs £1,188 plus VAT which brings it up to £1,425.

Some villages and communities with shops and businesses in them have been able to raise the money but many smaller villages and hamlets can’t afford them.

One is Scapegoat Hill but Steve Kerr who owns the Scape House pub in the village has stepped in and will provide an outdoor tree at the pub to replace the large Kirklees one which has usually been in the car park opposite.

“You can’t have Christmas without a tree,” said Steve. “We’ll get one as big as we can.”

 

 

Clr Munir Ahmed, Cabinet member for environment and highways, said: “In summer 2023 the council announced it was no longer able to subsidise community Christmas trees as it had done in previous years. This position still stands for the 2024 festive season with the cost of a Christmas tree being fully met by the ward or community group.

“More than 30 orders have been placed to date for Christmas trees from community groups across the district this year.

“Some community groups can struggle with the health and safety requirements of installing, lighting and maintaining a Christmas tree.

“That’s why the council will continue to support groups with sourcing, delivery, installation, fencing, lighting, insurance and disposal which are all included in the cost of purchasing a tree.

“The council will once again be providing Christmas trees in Huddersfield, Dewsbury, Batley and Cleckheaton centres to provide festive cheer for residents and businesses.”

Written by ANDY HIRST who runs his own Yorkshire freelance journalism agency AH! PR (https://ah-pr.com/) specialising in press releases, blogging, website content, copywriting and ghost-writing autobiographies.

Main image by: Huddersfield Hub photographer SEAN DOYLE