By Brian Allison, local government reporter

DUNDEE’S LORD PROVOST John Letford (pictured) has entered into the controversy about the city’s Christmas lights, to make it clear he would prefer the traditional switch-on to have taken place.

Mr Letford said Emails and phone calls he has received showed there was a misapprehension among some members of the public about his involvement in the issue and he wanted to set the record straight.

This year, the switch-on will be under the banner of Winter Light Night and will take place at venues in an around the city centre, rather than having one main event in the City Square as in the past.

Church groups had expressed concern that the re-designation of the event, and specifically the removal of the word Christmas, meant the true meaning of the Christian festival was being eroded.

A meeting to clear the air between city council officials and church leaders was held on Friday, to provide reassurance that Christmas was not being excluded from the celebrations.

However, Mr Letford said that representations made to his office have said that the Christian faith has been betrayed and that he was responsible.

He said a member of his family had even been approached by a minister at a Sunday church service, asking what Mr Letford was doing, getting the Christmas lights stopped.

“I want to make it clear that I had no role to play in this and that I share the churches’ view about the omission of the word Christmas from the switching on of the lights,” Mr Letford said.

He accepted that an item about the Winter Night Light had gone through committee and he had not opposed it but said that was because he believed what was being proposed was in addition to the traditional Christmas lights event, rather than a replacement.

“The Christmas lights switch-on is something that lord provosts have been involved in for many years and is an extremely popular event,” he said.

“I was not consulted about the change this year and, if I had been, I would have expressed my disappointment.

“As I am being attacked over this I feel I must point out that it was not my doing and I am not in favour of it.”

A council spokesman said, “The proposal for the Winter Night Light celebration was approved unanimously at a meeting of the city development committee on Monday, August 24.

“The report (submitted to the committee) explained that the Christmas lights will also be switched on for the first time for the event.”

The spokesman said the event will take place across the city centre, with activities at four venues to encourage people to move between them.

“As has been seen with the injuries at the Christmas lights switch-on in Birmingham, large groups of people congregating in one area can present safety issues for the public,” he said.

“There was absolutely no intention of upsetting the Christian community in the planning of this one-off extravaganza.

“The Dundee Presbytery has accepted this and suggested ways of ensuring the Christmas message is included in the event.

“The Winter Light Night is the start of Dundee’s Christmas celebrations and is a major part of Dundee’s response to the Year of Homecoming. It is a bigger and wider event than has been staged in the city in previous years.”