‘No respect for Penparcau!’: A councillor has slammed Aberystwyth Town Council over the village’s ‘non-existent’ Christmas decorations.

Town and county councillor Carl Worrall says he has heard from scores of residents who have been left disappointed by this year’s festive display in the village, despite Aberystwyth Town Council spending more than £16,000 on decorations.

Aberystwyth town centre and Llandbadarn Fawr both held ‘shindigs’ with carol singing and a countdown to the lights being switched on but there was no such event in Penparcau, Cllr Worrall says.

Only a single far-from-spectacular tree has been erected by the village’s primary school but it was put up without any celebrations or involvement from residents in the last week of November.­ Cllr Worrall said: “It feels they have no respect for Penparcau or myself and once again shows it’s all about the town.

“We’ve always been left out. Our decorations always seem to be nonexistent.

“There was a big shindig in town but all we got was a tree left out with a few lights on it.

“I’ve had people phoning me up asking me about the lights, saying how disappointing they are. They feel like years ago there used to be lights on the main road but now we just get one tree.

“We wanted the same as Llanbadarn village. There was Christmas carol singing and the lights were switched on but our tree was just put up without anyone knowing. People are getting tired now of not getting a little bit more.”

There was a £16,500 budget for Christmas lights across Aberystwyth but the town clerk - following questioning from the Cambrian News - avoided revealing what proportion was spent in Penparcau.

Resident Jon Evans said: “Maybe we should do our own lights as we are always forgotten. We get Poundland lights in a few trees.”

Lee Coulson said: “Aberystwyth Town Council should be ashamed.”

Many residents commented that this is just the latest reason a breakaway Penparcau community council should be formed.

Town clerk Gweneira Raw-Rees told the Cambrian News Cllr Worrall was involved in a meeting in which it was explained that battery powered lights could no longer be used, only limited budgets were available and the bulk would be spent on the town centre where most businesses operate and visitors are attracted.

“Businesses need us to support them more than ever and the town centre is of course most people’s destination at this time of year – including Penparcau residents,” she said.

The council has also promised to plant a bigger Christmas tree for next year.