Councillors have condemned a ‘Scrooge-like’ move to end funding for Otley and Yeadon’s Christmas lights.

In recent years Leeds City Council has partially funded festive events in surrounding towns, including Otley’s Christmas lights and switch-on ceremony, to the tune of several thousand pounds.

But the authority, as part of a wide-ranging drive to save money following Government funding cuts, has now announced that will end.

Instead, this year it will only be funding the switch-on event in the city centre, leaving outer areas to foot the full bill for their ceremonies. And in an e-mail outlining the change, the council even included a ‘shopping list’ of items – including balloons at £1 each, and £750 for a celebrity – to help towns cost their own events.

The three Otley & Yeadon ward councillors, all Liberal Democrats, have condemned the decision.

Councillor Colin Campbell said: “We received an e-mail just after the election informing us that Leeds would no longer fund the provision of Christmas trees and lights in either Otley or Yeadon.

“We believe the proposal is mean-spirited and will have a detrimental effect on local communities.”

Councillor Graham Kirkland said: “Christmas lights brighten up the town during a grey part of the year, cheer people up, and, perhaps most importantly, they encourage residents to visit local shopping centres and help keep the town viable.”

Councillor Ryk Downes said: “Compared with some areas of Leeds, Otley and Yeadon don’t get much. Now we appear to be getting even less.”

Leeds City Council pointed out that the funding has been stopped for all satellite towns and that ward councillors are free, should they wish, to use their Members Improvement in the Community money.

Otley Town Council leader Councillor John Eveleigh (Lab, Ashfield) said: “This is clearly disappointing news and is solely down to the unprecedented Government cut-backs.

“Instead of lambasting Leeds City Council our Lib Dem councillors would be better lobbying their ministers to prevent them from front-loading all the local authority cuts into the first couple of years.

“That said, we will want to work with the Chamber of Trade, Otley Town Partnership and other interested parties to ensure Otley has a good display this year.”