PEOPLE should make the most of the Christmas lights this year - the future doesn't look so sparkling due to council cutbacks.

There are fears Wiveliscombe won't have much of a festive display next year, while Wellington council taxpayers will have to pay for their glitz and things don't look too bright for Taunton the following year.

Taunton Deane Borough Council is look at saving £10,000 by removing grants to Wellington and Wiveliscombe for their annual lights displays as it attempts to plug a £403,000 budget gap for the year from April 2017.

They're annoyed in Wiveliscombe that the Deane looks like scrapping its £3,000 grant to make the town glow during the festive season.

Town council chairman Bryn Wilson said: "They've been trying to do this for a long time.

"The Deane has always done the lights and should continue to.

"We see it as their role, not ours. We're supposed to look after the residents, the Deane is supposed to look after the businesses, who benefit from the lights - the businesses pay their rate to Taunton Deane, not to us.

"We couldn't afford to take it on. It would mean increasing the precept, which is already going up by 45 per cent to pay for the toilets, which we've taken on from the Deane."

Wellington Mayor Bob Bowrah said it is disappointing to lose the £7,000 district council grant.

But he added: "We saw it coming, which is why we have our own lights.

"But we're determined to keep the light switch on for businesses and for the town.

"We've allocated £65,000 from the precept the people of Wellington pay into a fund to pay for things like this.

"The funding to TDBC (from the Government) is being reduced, so they've got no choice and eventually Wellington and Wiveliscombe will end up paying for everything - we're already paying for lots of things."

Wellington Town Council, which stumped up £8,000 towards Saturday's switch, currently pays £110 a month to store its lights, but could soon keep them for free alongside Longforth Road toilets, which it has taken on from the borough.

Taunton's switch on outside the Market House was scrapped this year, although there was a festive event on Castle Green last Thursday.

Mark Edwards, executive councillor for business development at Deane House, said the authority's £7,000 annual grant for Taunton's lights expires in 2017 and no decision has been taken about funding from 2018.

He added: "The council has been in discussions with both town councils about removing these grants entirely, so they are aware of this proposition.

"While this is regrettable, both councils are able to precept for these sums and to determine whether this level of lighting continues in future years.

"The provision of Christmas lights is always an emotive subject and especially at this time of year.

"However, this is a necessary part of the budget discussions which I must stress are only options for consideration at this stage."