IT is a shame that it took an outpouring of outrage on social media for Great Aycliffe Town Council to look again at what it could do to make sure the popular annual Santa Tour can be held in a format as close to its traditional style as possible.

Perhaps an earlier call to police to get something in writing about the legal implications of an elderly man sitting on the back of a flatbed truck travelling at walking pace would have avoided the negative publicity the authority has received.

However in all the online frothing about the council’s actions this week, it is worth remembering that members are public servants just doing their best to put on a safe and entertaining event for the community.

While “Christmas is not a time for ‘elf’ and safety red tape”, as Durham Chief Constable Mike Barton put it, when legitimate concerns are raised, the council does have a duty to check it is acting in accordance with the law, its own risk assessments, and guidelines from insurers. Happily for the good folk of Newton Aycliffe, as long as Santa’s truck travels at the correct speed, and the big fella sits in the cab wearing a seatbelt when it goes any faster, the event will go ahead.

It is a victory for common sense, but it should also not be forgotten that “red tape” is often there for a reason. In this instance, the safety of crowds of families – and Santa himself – is at the heart of the debate, not an issue that a responsible council would, or should, take lightly.