CHRISTMAS lights displays in Cheshire West and Chester will no longer be funded by the council.
The lights displays, particularly visible in Chester city centre during the festive season, have lit up the streets in the weeks building up to Christmas.
Cheshire West and Chester Council will now be looking for external funding, such as from commercial sponsors, so the lights displays can still be held across the borough.
It came as the latest budget for the local authority for the next financial year was passed following a lively CWaC meeting on Thursday.
Within the wide-ranging budget, which sets out budgets for such sectors as social care, highways, education and the environment, a total of £29.8 million of cuts was announced.
Among the cutbacks was the removal of the council's £145,000 base budget for Christmas lights for 2024/25, following the savings built into the budget.
The budget report, giving more details, explained: "Instead, opportunities will be explored for external funding to provide this service.
"Consequently, there is no possibility of double taxation in relation to Christmas lighting and members are asked to approve that a special expense adjustment is no longer required in respect of Christmas lighting."
The plan would instead be to "explore opportunities for commercial sponsorship, town and parish councils’ involvement or other external funding to fund Christmas lighting across the borough."
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