Bayside Council admits Christmas decorations are a festive failure

BAYSIDE Council has accepted it made a mistake with its Christmas decorations this year, and realised they have not met community expectations.

crap chrissy decorations

BAYSIDE Council has accepted it made a mistake with its Christmas decorations this year.

Mayor Felicity Frederico has said they now realised they had not met community expectations with their street adornments, which have been widely maligned.

Residents and businesses from all over Bayside have criticised the council for their poor decorations at nine shopping strips in the municipality, labelling them an embarrassment, a failure and amateurish.

RELATED: Baysiders unhappy with ‘embarrassing’ Christmas decorations

Tayla, 12, and Amelia, 4, are less than impressed with Bayside Council’s average Christmas decorations. Picture: Valeriu Campan.

Cr Frederico said they realised things could have been done better.

“In hindsight we probably tried to do too much with too little in our first year and spread ourselves too thin across nine local shopping strips,” Cr Frederico said.

“We know we haven’t met community expectations in our first year.

“We’re encouraging the community to give us constructive feedback (and) we’ll review all that feedback in planning for next year to achieve a better result.”

HAVE YOUR SAY: What kind of Christmas decorations would you like to see in Bayside next year? Tell us in the comment section below.

Gold stars have been stuck to signs, fences and other structures.

Gold ribbon has been wrapped around trees.

The company contracted to design, create and install the decorations refused to comment on residents’ views that their work was inferior.

Xmas-Mil Display Products, based in Bayswater, was employed for a one year, $153,000 contract, with an option to extend for a further two.

Managing director Rod Miller said he wouldn’t discuss Baysiders’ comments that the decorations were of poor value to ratepayers.

“That’s people’s personal opinions,” Mr Miller said.

He said the contract with the council was open-ended.

“We are hopeful of working with them next year,” he said.

Cr Frederico said it was too early to say whether or not they would employ the same contractor in 2015.

Cable ties hold the gold ribbon wrapped around trees, as part of Bayside Council’s Christmas decorations across nine shopping precincts. Picture: Valeriu Campan.