Peterborough City Council launches early appeal to raise £58,000 to save city's Christmas celebrations

Peterborough City Council has launched an early bid to save this year’s city Christmas celebrations.

The cash-strapped authority has issued an appeal to businesses to help find the £58,000 that will save Peterborough’s Christmas festivities from being axed.

This year, the council is offering sponsorship packages and opportunities in a bid to raise the cash to pay for a Christmas tree, lights and a switch-on event.

It is part of the council's plan to save money and support its budget strategy after it faced a budget gap of more than £20 million at the end of the last financial year.

Councillor Mohammed Jamil, deputy leader and cabinet member for finance at Peterborough City Council, said: "As part of a number of decisions to support the council's budget strategy, we are again offering sponsorship packages and opportunities for Christmas 2025.

"It costs approximately £58,000 for the Christmas Tree, lights and switch-on event.

"We were pleased with the response last year, and depending on the number of enquiries we receive, we will stop the appeal as soon as we've been able to confirm all costs will be covered."

The council currently has over £500 million of debt which is the result of funding the cost of new roads, schools, regeneration of the city and work on council properties.

Late last year the council issued an urgent appeal to businesses for donations to help close a £22,000 shortfall in the fund for Christmas celebrations.

But the 2024 celebrations cost a total of £56,000 – £2,000 less than this year’s anticipated cost.