September 27, 2018 4.38 pm This story is over 66 months old

People can pay to have street lights back on

Local councils might get the option to turn their street lights back on
Street lights have been switched off across the county at night

Communities who had their street lights controversially switched off by Lincolnshire County Council will be able to turn them back on, but will have to pay for it.

Under the plans, town councils will have to upgrade their current lights to LEDs in order to turn them on again.

It means that local people will have the chance to reverse the change.

A draft protocol for how town and parishes can request to turn their lights back on is to be written up by the county councillor in charge of highways.

It will include what criteria needs to met to revert back to full night operation.

It comes as the county council switched off more than half of the region’s 68,000 street lights for part of the night in an effort to save money.

Listen to our interview with Councillor Richard Davies reflecting on the scheme in February:

The system means that they are turned off between midnight (and as early as 10pm in some areas) until dawn.

The controversial policy saved the council £1.7 million, but was criticised by local residents.

Now, under recommendations previously outlined by the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board at the council, communities will have the chance to turn them back on.

The measure was supported by the council’s executive back in June.

Councillor Rob Parker, chair of the overview and scrutiny board.

The move is also backed by the senior councillor for community safety, Councillor Barry Young, who said he “enthusiastically” supported the plan.

Chair of the scrutiny management board, Councillor Rob Parker, said that the plan provides an “opportunity” for local people.

“It means that if the local demand is there for street lighting, if they can afford it, they can provide the service,” he said.

“It is fair to say that it has been a controversial policy and not every political party agrees with it.

“But the point is that now that we have a street lighting policy, democratically agreed, it should be extended to parishes who want it but the council is not willing to pay for it.”

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