COUNCILLORS have agreed to support Wellington Rugby Club with funding for the annual fireworks display it puts on – but only if the event makes a financial loss for the club.

Wellington Town Council supports the annual fireworks event with funding every year, but members of the authority’s policy and finance committee decided to be a little bit more prudent with the cash when they met on October 14.

The club had asked for a £2,000 contribution to the costs of putting on the fireworks display and the council had already earmarked that amount in its 2024-25 budget.

But councillors were taken aback when they heard that last year’s fireworks event had made a profit for the club.

The application said that the council’s grant money was vital for the event and suggested that last year’s fireworks display had not been financially successful.

But Cllr Justin Cole said that when going through the accounts – he discovered the event had actually made a profit for the rugby club.

“They made a profit from the fireworks display and we will be topping up that profit,” said Cllr Cole. “So with this application we aren’t actually making a grant towards the fireworks – we’re actually making a donation to the rugby club.”

Committee chairman, Cllr Mark Lithgow, added: “I’m not in favour of this because they (the rugby club) are making a profit.”

Cllr Keith Wheatley said he was “surprised” by what he had heard during the meeting.

He said: “The application seemed to be saying that the event was going to make a loss and we were going to be subsidising it, but I now hear the event actually makes a profit. The application is disingenuous – not entirely accurate.”

“Any event that can wash its own face can do so in my opinion.”

Cllr Sean Pringle-Kosikowsky, in reference to the differences in the rugby club’s application and its actual accounts, said: “I find it strange that the left hand isn’t saying the same as what the right hand is saying.”

Cllr Andrew Govier said he was “very supportive” of the fireworks display at Wellington Rugby Club and it was one of the top events of the year locally.

He said he was in favour of large fireworks displays because of the possible dangers attached to people holding firework parties in their own gardens.

Councillors agreed to support the fireworks display, but only by underwriting a loss of up to £2,000 if the rugby club could provide evidence to show that the event was not a profitable event.

The planned fireworks display at Wellington Rugby Club in Corams Lane is all set for Tuesday, November 5.

The gates, clubhouse and bar will be open from 6pm and the display is scheduled to start at 7pm.

No tickets are required as people can pay on the gate - £5 for adults and £3 for Under-16s.

Organisers will be keeping their fingers-crossed for good weather in order to encourage a large crowd to the event.