Festive lights put up to welcome in Christmas in towns and villages across Ceredigion could become sparser this year as the county council plans to introduce more stringent health and safety measures.

The county council is developing a Seasonal & Festive Lighting & Decorations Policy 2026 – 2031 that will see town and community councils across Ceredigion having to jump through more hoops to get permission for festive displays.

A report to be put before the council’s Thriving Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 15 September says that it will require town and community councils to gain a licence for displays “to ensure that these temporary installations are designed, installed, maintained and removed in a safe, secure, and regulated manner.”

The report says that “no town and community council that installs or erects festive decorations or Christmas lights is currently ‘licenced’ to do so.”

The county council report said: “Ceredigion County Council recognises the pleasure, enjoyment and benefits that seasonal decorations can bring to the Community, and in compiling the policy, the authority recognises that the requirements being placed on those wishing to make such provision can seem overly bureaucratic.

“Unfortunately, such installations are generally considered to be high risk, utilising overhead decorations and electrical equipment.

“Compliance with this policy should help protect the interests of the applicant, the authority, and most importantly the public.

“The Highway Authority require licences for festive lighting and decorations to ensure public safety and prevent damage to highway infrastructure.

“This is because decorations, especially those hanging over a road or attached to streetlights, can pose risks including impact on structural stability, obstruction of visibility, or interference with traffic signals.

“A licence will provide assurance that installations are erected or installed to a professional standard safely maintained and removed within agreed timescales.”

The policy says that a licence will “require the applicant to hold adequate public liability insurance at a minimum of £10m, compliance with relevant wiring regulations, and the provision of electrical safety certificates.

The report said that as councils erecting Christmas lights are currently unlicensed “there have been incidents, including a fire caused by electrical arching from faulty wiring of Christmas decorations, and an incident where overhead decorations were pulled down by a high sided vehicle.”

Ceredigion County Council said it was “willing to set up workshops with town and community councils to offer guidance and advice” on the new licence, but said “the current situation is not acceptable to Ceredigion County Council in terms of safety to the public and the legal liabilities that exist.”

The report said there are no current plans to charge a fee for a licence application for a festive display, but that for this year “officers will record the time taken to deal with applications and note the costs pertaining to any costs or charges incurred from by third party experts if required.”

Fees will be charged for emergency call-outs, non-compliance and new power supply installations.

The policy is set to go before Ceredigion County Council’s Cabinet for decision following the scrutiny meetings.