Plans to put the 'fine' back into our city's welcome signs have been given the go-ahead.

For nearly five decades the boundary signs have welcomed visitors to 'Norwich: A fine city', but since they were installed in the 1960s they have fallen into gradual disrepair.

This week, Norwich City Councillors agreed to spend �15,000 on installing nine new signs on major routes into the city to replace the ones that have been stolen, or have succumbed to wear and tear.

However, the council hopes to recoup some or all of that cost by encouraging companies and individuals to sponsor the signs to the tune of �2,000 for a bar strip beneath the main sign for three years.

Alan Waters, the council's cabinet member for resources, said the existing signs were so delapidated it would be very expensive to be refurbish them.

He said: 'I'm personally glad to see that we will get the new signs as this is an issue which has been in discussion for a number of decades. We need to be sensitive about any of the sponsorship of the signs.'

This was echoed by Stephen Little, the Green Party councillor for Town Close, who supported an upheld amendment to reduce the spend on the new signs from �30,000 to �15,000. He said: 'In view of the sponsorship we think there's no need to set aside so much on this. We hope that whoever will be chosen will reflect the values of the council and the city.'

The new signs are likely to be similar to the previous design and are hoped to be in place by next spring.

Do you have a story? Contact reporter Kim Briscoe on 01603 772419 or email kim.briscoe@archant.co.uk.