Crewe councillors are threatening legal action and other measures if Christmas lights given to Nantwich are not handed back.
They have even suggested bringing in contractors to rip the lights down if used in a Nantwich Christmas display later this year.
The startling claims were made by Crewe Town Council Leader Cllr Kevin Hickson in an open letter to Cheshire East Council Leader Cllr Michael Jones.
Nantwichnews revealed two weeks ago how the row, which centres on an old set of lights used by Crewe last year, had boiled over.
The lights were taken down after Christmas 2013 and put into storage on Pyms Lane.
They were then donated by Cheshire East Council to Nantwich Town Council, who paid to have them refurbished to use in the town centre later this year.
But the dispute centres on whether Crewe Town Council said they did or did not need the lights.
Cheshire East Council says it was told they were no longer needed as Crewe were investing in new ones for 2014.
However, Crewe councillors deny saying this.
And in today’s letter, Cllr Hickson called for the lights to be returned “at the earliest opportunity” and to “put the matter to bed”.
He also accused Nantwich Town Council of using “back door” and “underhand” methods to acquire the second-hand set.
“Members of Crewe Town Council will not let this matter rest until the lights are returned,” he added.
“I am not ruling out taking legal action on this matter, or indeed issuing instructions with our contractors to retrieve the lights should they be erected by Nantwich Town Council.”
They have also called for Cheshire East and Nantwich Town Council to produce evidence to prove Crewe had instructed for the lights to be given away.
But already Nantwich councillors have hit back.
Cllr Stuart Hutton said on Twitter today (July 11) that he was “appalled” at what he called a “rude and threatening” letter.
Nantwichnews has contacted Nantwich Town Council and Cheshire East Council and is awaiting replies.
The letter can be read in full here.
(Crewe Christmas lights, pic by Jonathan White)
Cllr Hickson has demanded that Nantwich Council produce evidence that they own the lights caught up in the ‘Fairylightsgate’ scandal. Unfortunately for Cllr. Hickson, in this country the burden of proof is on the prosecution, not the accused. This is one of the essential freedoms of our country, written in Magna Carta that have underwritten our laws, and protected the innocent for centuries.
It’s also one of the hard fought freedoms that he and his EU-mad Labour Cronies want to sacrifice in their support for adopting the EU Arrest Warrant, under which Foreign Police Forces can arrest, extradite and hold British Subjects in Foreign Jails, for unspecified periods, with no proof of their guilt whatsoever. Shame on them.
Cllr Kevin Hickson wants to steal Christmas from Nantwich. He is the Labour Christmas Grinch.
I can’t bear all this bad feeling between our two fine towns. I’d like to extend the hand of friendship to Cllr. Kevin Hickson, and invite him to Nantwich, as Guest of Honour …to the big ‘Switch-On’ of our Christmas Lights this year.
It seems to me that Crewe council only want them back because they have been refurbished. Nantwich town council paid to get them refurbished and now Crewe council are jealous that they couldn’t pay to do the same so the way to do it is to say that they never said they could have them in the first place. I bit childish really. Get over it Crewe council, Nantwich will have decent lights at last.
The petty and immature behaviour by Cllr Kevin Hickson is disgusting as well as down right rude.
I suppose if it does come to legal action He will be dipping into the councils pot, making an already stretched councils budget even smaller.
I think the words “petty and immature” sum up Cllr Hickson very well and perhaps even the rest of Crewe council. I find it interesting and shocking that such petty and immature people should be in charge of Crewe’s local affairs.
Crewe council can naff off!! After years of shoddy lights when it was Crewe and Nantwich council it’s about time Nantwich had some good ones!
totally agree 🙂