Sandwell Council will be flicking the switch for its borough towns' Christmas lights in a new move which has angered town trading associations.

Council officials have decided they will take over the reins from the traders' associations in organising the yearly festivities, including the Christmas lights throughout the towns and the switch-on celebrations.

In the move the council has joined forces with a Walsall-based contractor which will install and maintain the lights throughout the borough's six towns.

From this year the festive lights will be LED lights, which will cut electricity costs and therefore help reduce the borough's carbon footprint.

Councillor Derek Rowley, cabinet member for Safer Communities, said: "Last year 70 per cent of our 15-year-old-lights were unsafe to be put up.

"The traders have no money to buy new lights and pay the electricity, so we took the decision to take on the responsibility for the whole thing.

"It takes £63,000 a year to maintain, put up and take down the lights."

"If the associations want to get involved with it they can, we have no problem with that."

Due to health and safety reasons, lights will also no longer be able to be hung across the widths of roads, because of fears the cable may break, with 300 lamp fittings being purchased.

However angry members of the traders' associations have blasted this new council decision.

Blackheath Business and Community Association had organised its popular Christmas switching on ceremony for Saturday November 24, but members were astonished to hear council officials announce it would take place on Tuesday November 27.

Councillor Mary Docker, secretary of the association said: "I have been an organiser of this annual event for the past 12 years. It is often seen as one of the main visible functions of the association.

"Members have decided to back out of dealing with the Christmas lights altogether."