A BID to bring Christmas lights back to Clipstone has received a ВЈ2,000 boost this week. The village has missed out on festive lights in recent years, but Nottinghamshire county councillor Andy Freeman has agreed to donate cash to a fund to bring them back this year. Coun Freeman offered ВЈ2,000 from a special council cashpot towards the project at a meeting of Clipstone Parish Council last Wednesday.
He said: “Clipstone hasn’t had Christmas lights for quite a while and I know there’s some debate to be had about where we want them and what kind of lights. But I am putting ВЈ2,000 of my elec toral division Initiative into it.” Members thanked him but said they were still short of their target and will need at least ВЈ7,000 for the new lights. Parish councillors have agreed to buy specialist hydraulic pumps to help dig new graves when they extend Clipstone Cemetery.
Members plan to extend the cemetery as they expect to run out of space in the next few years. The new equipment will be needed to help workers dig the graves safely because of the condition of the soil.
Chairman Coun Pam Whitehead said: “The way the cemetery is filling we are going to have only a couple of years before we start using the extension, and with this equipment we will be able to.” The council will write to Severn Trent Water to call for action to deal with a sewage problem off Mansfield Road, near Waterfield Farm, when there is heavy rain.