Cash-strapped Bradford Council wants to put on a £233,000 Christmas lights extravaganza this year after taking advice from an expert involved with the Blackpool illuminations.

But the festive plans have sparked a row after it was revealed that most of the bill would be footed by the highways department.

It follows three sparse years when the Christmas lights budget was frozen by the Council because of other spending priorities. Only £87,000 was allowed for the lights last Christmas, but Council chiefs plan to dramatically raise the ante after receiving stinging criticism about the city's poor show.

If agreed, a further £65,000 - not spent in last year's highways budget - will be redirected for the lights which would include water and light aquabatic displays, a synthetic ice rink in Centenary Square, and garlands of lights in the streets to give impact in the day time as well as night.

Funding from regeneration and business partnerships for the lights switching ceremony will be increased from £30,000 to £57,000 and the arts, heritage and leisure department will give £24,000.

But Councillor Phil Thornton, former chairman of the highways sub-committee, said today: "About £1 million is being paid out a year to people who have tripped on pavements. Some of the road surfaces are appalling and some people are waiting for road safety schemes.

"I agree that Bradford needs a good lights display, but I don't think highways is the right place for it to come from. I think the traders should contribute."

The controversial display will be considered by the environment scrutiny committee on Thursday. It will also consider a 31-name public petition which says last year's attempt was "pathetic" - which prompted the Council to consult an expert associated with the Blackpool Illuminations.

Petition organiser John Scott-Coleman said in a letter to the committee that Bradford's Christmas lights were the laughing stock of West Yorkshire.

But Councillor Anne Hawkesworth, executive committee member for the environment, said today most of the money was going into the main display in Centenary Square.

"It is tremendously important for the city to have this Christmas display in terms of morale and trade," she added.