Uppingham Town Council using levelling up fund money for Christmas lights

A town will have a brighter Christmas this year with new LED lights.

Just over £20,000 from Uppingham Town Council’s allocation of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund - also known as levelling up money - will go toward the new lights and some alterations to the electric infrastructure on the high street.

The lights, in the shape of icicles, were discussed at last night’s town council meeting (Wednesday, September 4).

It was a less dramatic affair than recent meetings following the resignation of almost half the council over concerns about conflicts of interests of a number of councillors who are also members of private company Uppingham First, which runs the town’s Hopper bus service.

Elections for the seven vacant seats will take place shortly and there is a deadline of 4pm tomorrow (Friday, September 6) for anyone who is interested in standing. Nomination papers are available from Rutland County Council's offices.

If the election is uncontested, those who put themselves forward will gain a seat on the council.

If contested, the election will take place on Thursday, October 3. It will cost the authority about £11,000 to run according to the council’s new clerk Adam Lowe.

At the meeting, Liberal Democrat county councillor Christine Wise said after an appeal for help by the youth football side in the town, she had found two potential sources of funding for them and may have found some land.

What do you think about the Christmas lights in Uppingham? Share your views in the comments.