Powys County Council’s plans to switch off streetlights are underway in a bid to fund increases in the cost of energy.

The council is to switch off two out of three lights in non-sensitive areas as it faces a 36% increase in energy costs.

The decision comes after a working party recommended a permanent switch-off for 5,000 lights in 2008-09, and a further 1,400 by next March out of the 14,000 streetlights on the county’s roads.

Councillor Gwilym Evans, board member for local services, said the decision was likely to cause some concern, but the alternative would be passing on the increased cost to the tax payer.

Areas covered by CCTV, pedestrian and zebra crossings and traffic calming will not be affected. The scheme should cut the council’s carbon footprint by up to 1,100t a year and reduce light pollution.