SAVING children's centres is more important than Christmas lights in Quarry Bank, the town's Friends group chairman has said after confirming there would be no festive lights in the High Street this year.

The Friends of Quarry Bank worked hard over the last few years to ensure the High Street was lit up over the festive period – by applying for grants and raising cash to cover the costs.

But after being left with a £1,000 funding shortfall last year – chairman Brian Genner, who had to foot the bill personally, said he couldn’t afford to take another loss this time round so the High Street has been left in darkness, apart from the lights on Dudley Council’s Christmas tree outside the church.

He said handouts of £1,000 fromDudley Council over two successive years had been welcome but without further funding from the community or traders - the money was not enough to cover the costs.

And in times of budget cuts to local authorities, he would rather see available funds spent on vital services like the town's children's centre to give a better future to youngsters in the community.

Mr Genner said: "I'm very disappointed. We made a lot of effort; we did the best we could but we didn't get a community response and the council are under financial re-structuring.

"As a matter of priority I would certainly endorse funding for the retention of children's centres as needed over the Christmas lights which go up for about six weeks."

Quarry Bank councillor Bryan Cotterill said: “It’s very sad that we’re not putting up Christmas lights but we've got to share it out and leave a little bit for other people."

He said cash from the Netherton, Woodside & St Andrews and Quarry Bank and Dudley Wood community forum had this year gone to Quarry Bank’s brownies group and towards new railings in Dudley Wood.

Ward councillor David Sparks, leader of Dudley Council, said the Friends group had not applied for cash for the lights this year anyway and he added: “I haven’t noticed a lack of light in Quarry Bank High Street as much as I would have thought – and the Christmas tree has never looked better.”

Mr Genner also praised the council Christmas tree on the green as looking "more attractive than ever" and he said Christ Church in the High Street had funded its own decorations to light up the driveway and frontage - all of which would be switched on this Saturday (November 30) when Quarry Bank choir Colla Voce stage its Christmas concert.