RESIDENTS promised a permanent town centre Christmas tree in time for this year’s festive season will have to wait another year.

Last year Hadleigh and Daws Heath Neighbourhood Forum agreed to pay about £1,000 out of the meeting’s £15,000 annual budget for a temporary tree for Hadleigh town centre.

They requested a permanent tree be put up outside St James’s Church in time for Christmas 2010. But at a recent meeting of the forum, residents were told this would not be possible.

Mel Harris, Castle Point Council’s head of partnerships and engagement, said: “There isn’t enough time to do that this year and the budget of a neighbourhood forum only allows for capital expenditure.

“We don’t have a budget to look after a Christmas tree. We don’t want to put in a tree and then have it die.”

It is not clear how much a permanent tree would cost.

A group of residents, who earlier on in the meeting had offered to set up a group to spruce up the local area, offered to take on the maintenance.

But the idea was dismissed.

Forum chairman Colin Riley, councillor for Victoria ward, said: “Let us put the temporary tree up this year so we can celebrate Christmas in the usual way, and rest assured we will get a permanent tree next year.”

Councillors from Victoria and St James’ ward voted to approve buying another temporary Christmas tree for this year, despite opposition from some residents.

Speaking after the meeting Neal Warren, 53, of Rayleigh Road, said: “This has been discussed for at least two years and every time they have said they will make a commitment, but here we are again and another £1,000 is going to waste.”