Council takes dim view of switch-off

22 October 2008

Councillors in a town council affected by a streetlight switch-off in Powys have voted unanimously to pay for the lights to be turned back on.

Llanfair Caereinion Town Council, near Welshpool, held a special meeting on Monday night, when it was decided that the council would dip into its reserves to pay Powys County Council £56 for each of the 50 lights it switched off.

Powys County Council decided to turn off thousands of lights across the county in a bid to save £225,000 and reduce its carbon footprint.

The move has proved unpopular in some areas, but officials argued a 36% increase in energy costs was a major reason behind the decision.

All 12 Llanfair Caereinion councillors have agreed to pay for the lights in their town until the next financial year – at an estimated cost of £2,800.

A spokeswoman for the council said it was frustrating to have to pay for the lights out of its own, limited budget but the safety of the public was paramount.

‘We have to think about the pensioners and we need lights around the old people’s home. ‘All we have had is complaints since the lights were switched off,’ she said. ‘We will be able to fund it until next March, and then we will have a rethink. The rising energy costs may have an impact on us too.’

The town council said it had instructed Powys to turn its lights back on and expected this to be carried out by the end of the week.

However, a spokesperson for Powys County Council said: ‘We are aware that Llanfair Caereinion Town Council intends to pay for the streetlights to be switched back on, but we yet to be informed of its members’ final decision. ‘Town and community councils throughout Powys can pay for streetlighting through their own precept.’

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