A ROW has broken out over a £10,000 plug socket which will help to light up Ledbury.

The town council agreed in a closed session to shell out £10,000 for the electrical plug socket and electric box under the Market House.

It will be used to light up the weekly markets as well as big events such as the Christmas Lights.

However, some town councillors questioned if such expenditure was wise in an age of austerity and cuts.

Several councillors spoke out at the meeting against this use of taxpayers’ money, and they made their views known to the Ledbury Reporter afterwards.

Coun Tony Bradford said: “I voted against it. They just would not listen to arguments about austerity and concerns about the economic situation.”

Coun Keith Francis said: “I don’t think we should be spending money on that. I would not call it a waste of money but the money could be spent on better things.

“That is an awful lot of money to go on that particular piece of equipment.”

But Coun Martin Eager said that Ledbury was only catching up with facilities provided by other market towns in Herefordshire.

He said: “The plug will provide a power source for various events under the Market House, including the switch-on of the Christmas Lights and Ledbury Carnival.

“But the main purpose is to provide power for the stallholders at the weekly markets. Ross already has a similar power point and so does Leominster.” He added: “We are providing a new facility for the town centre.”

At present there is no outside socket and a cable has had to be run from inside the building. Coun Eager pointed out that the socket could also be used for live music performances in the town centre, by the Ledbury Poetry Festival, and during large-scale public events such as the recent ox roast.

Town clerk Karen Mitchell said the council did not go out to tender for the work but sought a number of quotations instead, to find the cheapest.

The work to install the socket will start with Western Power putting in a power supply from the road to under the Market House. Mrs Mitchell said: “I envisage that being in a couple of months.” She expected the plug to be installed “well before the winter”.