Helston’s Christmas lights have been given a bailout worth more than £12,000 after organisers warned: “There won’t be a display without it.”

A recent survey of the fixing points that hold up the lights above the town centre streets revealed that more than half were “visual failures,” including signs of major rust, and therefore needed replacing.

In addition, the wire that supports the main displays that hang across the streets needs to be upgraded in order to meet current guidelines, including making it stainless steel because Helston is classified as a “marine environment.”

With all costs taken into account, including subsequent professional testing, the total amount needed to pay for this was £12,150 – the amount the lights committee asked the town council for when it sat last week.

The request comes less than two years after councillors gave £10,000 to fund replacement bulbs, new lights displays and cover insurance.

When asked last week what would happen if the group did not get the money this time, lights treasurer Stephen Hole replied: “The impact is quite dramatic. There basically would be no Christmas lights this year; it’s pretty much as simple as that.”

He went on to say: “Most [fixings] are in need of serious remedial work. Over the years we have tried to keep up with current legislation and health and safety rules we have to abide by. Unfortunately the little we could spend on it has not allowed us to keep up with everything.”

He added that by producing detailed records and identifying the “visual failures,” volunteers on the committee had reduced the overall cost by “at least £2,100 plus VAT.”

Mr Hole pointed out that the fixings were not just used for the Christmas lights – which belong to the town council – but also the flags on Flora Day and at other events.

Councillor John Boase questioned why volunteers could not replace the failed fittings first, so that when they were professionally tested they would hopefully all pass without any problems.

Mr Hole said he had carried out extensive research and taken advice from structural engineers, health and safety experts and lighting engineers. “The advice I have received from all of them is let one company deal with it, set the liability and take responsibility for it,” he explained, adding that there would be a £100 re-test cost for each fitting that failed the testing.

He said that going forward the lights committee recommended a rolling five-year programme of testing the 150 fixing points, which would reduce the overall time taken on inspecting and testing, as well as allow for any necessary replacements at that time. It would also mean any changes to insurance or industry guidance could be taken “in a more controlled way.”

Mr Hole also indicated the lights committee would be asking for more regular financial help, saying: “Funding for the lights and Christmas events is always an issue. We are always seeking sponsorship/donations from local businesses and receive regular donations from individuals.

“However, to secure the lights and events for the future we would seek a longer-term funding commitment from the town council to cover the cost of not only the fixing testing programme but also the cost of the Christmas events and lights maintenance/renewal going forward, to ensure that the wider benefits they bring to Helston in the festive season are not lost.”

Councillors were ultimately unanimous in their support to provide the money as requested, which will come from the council’s general reserves budget. This currently sits at £129,000, which the council’s auditor has said is at the upper end of what is recommended (although an estimated £35,000 of that is earmarked for refurbishing the Guildhall public toilets).

Describing it as a “critical time” for the lights committee, councillor Tim Grattan-Kane said: “You cannot cheat on these healthy and safety issues. You only have to look at Grenfell Tower to look at when things go wrong.”

New councillor Miles Kenchington said he was “astonished” that the council was even debating the matter, highlighting the “incredibly well supported and attended” lights switch on each year and pointing out that St Ives had “still not recovered from community negativity” after its town council withdrew funding from its lights several years ago.