What is the price of Christmas?

27 November 2009 | Paul Snell

Posted in: Public sector, Purchasing

Often local newspapers run stories in the run up to the Christmas period about scrooge-like councils, scrimping as much as possible to save money on town decorations and festivities. And there are just as many complaints about local authorities that waste money on exactly the same things.

Poole Council in Dorset is the latest to suffer, having rejected a £4,000 real Christmas tree in favour of a £14,000 fake one – because of health and safety fears that it would blow over in the wind (to allay your fears, the new tree just has 2-tons of ballast inside to stop this fate befalling it).

Locals have described the tree, which has no branches and decorations as a “huge traffic cone or “giant wizard’s hat”.

But at least it has not cost the council anything, as a local business has stumped up the cash.

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