SANDWELL is set to get £600,000 of new Christmas lights after a new four-year plan was agreed by council chiefs.

A four-year contract to supply “distinctive” lights has been approved Sandwell’s Council’s cabinet, who hope new lights would make for “great switch-on events” and “create a sense of community pride”.

The lights will include a minimum of 396 column-mounted motifs, small lights for trees outside the council house in Oldbury and festoon lights for the Birchley Island sign in Blackheath and Reddall Hill Road in Old Hill.

The plan will also include new lights for the Mary McArthur Memorial Gardens in Cradley Heath.

The authority’s current contract with an external company, which ends in January 2018, is based on a mixed hire and ownership basis, where the council owns some of the lights and hires others, with the contractor responsible for installing, repairing, removing and storing the lights.

But Councillor Syeda Khatun, deputy council leader, said with the current contract coming to an end the new deal is an opportunity to “brighten up the borough” with updated Christmas lights and “great switch on events at each of our towns”.

A report seen by cabinet claims some of the council-owned lights are now reaching the end of their life and need replacing and by hiring lights it allows the council to spread the cost over the term of the contract and removes large upfront capital costs.

Cllr Steve Eling, leader of the council, said: “This tender is just for the main lights on the Christmas trees and lampposts. At the local neighbourhood level we have quite often enhanced the main contract with some additional provision.

“We’ve had some grumbles in some of our town centres about how the arrangement to light switch-on events have worked.

“It is something that people get emotive about but I think in Sandwell we actually put on a good show across the borough.

“Despite all the cuts we’ve had over the years, we’ve still been able to maintain that provision for the Christmas season and long may we continue that.”

The council will now draw up a new tender for £600,000 over the four years and start looking for a supplier who can provide the most “eye-catching” lights.