BRENTWOOD Borough Council plans to illuminate the festive season by spending an additional £24,000 on Christmas lights – taking the total spend to £35,000.

The extra money will be spent on improving lights in both Brentwood and Shenfield, with a variety of new lights being introduced, some of which will be multi-coloured to add a dash of colour to proceedings. The council will also help host a lights switch-on event in Shenfield for the first time, at the included cost of about £5,500.

The switch-on in Brentwood town centre is the largest community event the council organises.

A report on the proposals suggest improvements will boost trade in both areas.

The switch-on event in Brentwood will see a street market and live entertainment while in Shenfield there will be a choir and stalls.

William Lloyd, deputy leader of Brentwood Council, said: “Buying new Christmas lights is an expense that comes around every eight or nine years.

“This year there will be more lights and more colours.”

Tory Louise McKinlay, leader of the opposition, described the plans as something else on the administration’s “wish list” – and questioned where the money will come from.