MORAY Council has been urged to pull the plug on its support for local fireworks displays as part of its drive to save cash.
The local authority has a policy of refunding the money community groups spend on entertainment licences for the spectacles.
But one councillor has claimed it is “literally sending money up in smoke” by subsidising the pyrotechnic shows.
And the council has now launched a wide-ranging review of its licence fee procedures after officials discovered the current system is costing more than it is bringing in.
Last night, events organisers said they feared being forced to pay for licences could spell the death knell for smaller celebrations.
Shona Rowand, who runs the Spynie Village Hall fireworks display, said the local authority had approached the committee behind the event about paying for a permit.
Mrs Rowand said: “Moray Council has sent us an e-mail regarding a change of the licence process.
“If we do have to pay hundreds of pounds to stage forthcoming events, then we simply couldn’t afford to run them.
“We don’t have that sort of money, and would have to consider not holding the display anymore.”
She added: “We don’t do this to make profits, it’s about bringing the community together and helping people enjoy themselves.”
At a meeting of Moray’s licensing committee yesterday, Forres councillor George Alexander said: “We could be legitimately accused of being happy to send our money up in smoke despite the fact we are so short of it.
“I don’t think the taxpayer should continually be doling out for these types of event, the council needs to look at what it should be paying for.
“If it costs money to issue a licence then let’s charge for it and not offer a rebate.
“I’m not a great supporter of staging fireworks displays that impact on the public purse, but I have no problem with organisations seeking to collect their own money for them.”
Mr Alexander also described the council’s licensing process as “a bit of a shambles” and said he welcomed work on reforming it.
The comments were made as the authority was asked to grant a £437 rebate to the Portgordon Fireworks Committee.
Volunteers from the coastal village staged its 22nd annual display in October.
The rebate was ultimately granted by members, but council officers said the body badly needed to scrutinise its practices.
The licensing board’s depute clerk, Sean Hoath, said: “It seems that income is falling short of expenditure, as a result of a drop in applications.
“We will try to recover that through the number of applications we receive.”
Members of the licensing committee unanimously approved plans to launch a sweeping review of its licensing system.
Moray Council has been forced to make savings across the board and plunder more than £6million from reserves in order to plug a £12million deficit over the coming financial year.
Leading administration councillors had called for the Scottish Government to significantly change the way local authorities are funded before the next budget.
But last week they were left dejected when Holyrood unveiled what they branded “insulting” revisions to the system.
They claimed that imposing a 3% limit on any council tax increase would stymie attempts to balance budgets next year and jeopardise vital services.
