Barnard Castle's festival lights handed over to volunteer group

RESPONSIBILITY for all festive lights in Barnard Castle has been handed over to the town’s Christmas Lights group.

The move was agreed at Barnard Castle Town Council’s September meeting, when councillors said a three-year agreement should be put in place with the lights group, starting from April next year.

The deal will cover all Christmas lights displays in the town.

This includes putting them up and taking them down, testing, maintenance and storage.

The Christmas tree outside the Post Office and switch-on ceremony will continue to be organised by the town council.

The agreement guarantees the Barnard Castle Christmas Lights (BCCL) group an annual income of £6,500 from the town council.

As a result, the BCCL group now plans to become a registered charity.

At the latest BCCL meeting, Mark Wilkes told members there were a number of advantages in becoming a charity.

Mr Wilkes, a town councillor and former community worker with experience working in the voluntary sector, said: “Becoming a charity gives you added benefits.

“It enables you to go into contracts with other organisations, to receive funds from other organisations and bid for funds.”

Mr Wilkes suggested the group becomes a “charitable incorporated organisation”.

He said this meant that any of the charity’s trustees would not be personally liable for any debt, should the group run into trouble.

Mr Wilkes added that people seeing a charity number would give the group more credibility when out fundraising.

“Organisations and business do give deductions for registered charities,” he added.

“You get tax deductions and are exempt from VAT.”

Lights group treasurer Sue Smith said she was concerned about what would happen during the three-year term if members dropped out of the group.

“We are getting very thin on the ground. Is it easy to de-register?” she asked.

Mr Wilkes replied: “It is straightforward to de-register, but what we have found is that people are scared to close a charity and you end up with just one, two, or three people running it.”