Christmas lights displays will go ahead in five town centres after the council axed funding.

Businesses have stepped in after the cash-strapped Medway Council pulled its festive lights funding to save £75,000 a year.

It comes after the Rochester City Centre Forum hit its own separate fundraising target today within 24 hours of launching a campaign when the town was among those affected by the decision to pull funding earlier this week.

Medway Council leader Vince Maple says companies have stepped forward to fund the lights in the other towns as well as Rochester.

But there will not be any formal switch-on events this year and instead families will be able to book in to see children’s characters at libraries.

Meanwhile, Christmas events are still going ahead including a Christmas parade in Chatham on November 18 and Rochester will host its traditional Dickensian Christmas Festival once more on December 2-3.

Confirming the new funding arrangement on X, formerly known as Twitter, Cllr Maple said: “Let there be lights.

“I’m incredibly pleased to say companies have stepped forward to fund Christmas lights in our five main Medway town centres.

“Thanks to Marston Holdings, Volker Highways and Norse Group.”

The Labour leader added: “With a 91% cut in government funding since 2010 and a £17 million gap in the budget I remain resolutely determined to balance our books even if that regrettably means further difficult decisions.”

The three firms, which all work closely with the council across its services, will fund the installing and cover the costs of running lights in Chatham, Rochester, Gillingham, Rainham and Strood.

Cllr Maple added: “I am incredibly heartened by the generous offer of all three companies. Their corporate support means it is now possible to have Christmas lights in all five town centres this year.”

The council’s move not to provide money for the lights had earlier proved so controversial it made national headlines when it was debated on This Morning.

Medway Council has also confirmed free Christmas bus travel around the towns on Saturday, December 9 and Sunday, December 10 up to 8pm for single journeys on any Medway bus operator.

Free parking will also operate in council-owned car parks on December 16-17.

Meanwhile, those behind the Crowdfunder appeal for Rochester say they felt compelled to act following the authority’s “sad and difficult decision”.

“In Rochester – the place where a five-year-old Charles Dickens fell in love with the ‘most wonderful time of the year’ – we CANNOT allow this to happen,” they said.

“The Christmas we all celebrate today is thanks to our associations with the ‘the man who reinvented Christmas’.”

Rochester and Strood MP Kelly Tolhurst celebrated the fundraising campaign hitting its target.

“Thank you to all the wonderful people who have helped the Rochester City Centre Forum crowdfund for the Rochester Christmas Lights in 24 hours.

“The generosity of our fantastic community is amazing and all for the love of the place we live.”

“The generosity of our fantastic community is amazing and all for the love of the place we live...”

It is not yet known how the Rochester fundraising campaign and money provided by the council’s sponsors will be combined for the town’s display.

Organisers from the City Forum added they have just two weeks to collect the money to cover the costs of installing the existing lights and running them.

They also want to buy strings of lights to weave across Rochester High Street from one end to the other.

A fund will be set up to “extend and modernise the lighting provision, and maintain it into the future”, they add.

The Forum kicked off the appeal with a £1,000 donation, encouraging local organisations, businesses and residents to be as generous as they can.

The £12,500 target was raised in 16 hours after the appeal was launched late last night – and is continuing to grow.

Launching the fundraising, the Forum said: “We want to encourage as many members of the public – whether you’re a local resident or a visitor who loves Rochester, especially at Christmas time – to contribute whatever you can afford – from as little as ONE POUND!

“ALL – and we do mean ALL – contributors will have the opportunity to have their involvement recognised on a ‘Board of Contributors’ so everyone visiting Rochester can see just how many of you are behind this.

“So, it’s over to YOU. If you love Rochester, and want see the same sense of wonder on the faces of children in the same way that Charles Dickens felt over 200 years ago, please help us by contributing to the Rochester Christmas Lights Legacy Fund.”

An update on the page this afternoon says all cash not used to provide the lights for 2023 will be ringfenced and invested in “new and expanded lighting for future years”.