Agenda item

(A report by Richard Hardesty, Senior Project Leader, which provides an update on the Street Lighting Transformation Project)

The Committee received a progress report in connection with the Street Lighting Transformation project. Officers stated that the county wide project was slightly ahead of programme and was currently due for completion by March 2017, from when it would deliver the proposed benefits of saving £1.77m per annum, reduce light pollution, reduce the Council's carbon footprint and reduce maintenance needs. Officers stated that all relevant people had been informed of the Transformation project including, amongst others, MPs, District Councils, the public through the County News and the Council's website.

Officers stated that the Executive Councillor for Highways and Transport, following concerns expressed by some of those affected, had agreed to revise its plans and leave all 'part-night' lights on until midnight. The authority had initially planned to turn-off some at 10pm. The Committee noted that this would require the Executive Councillor to make a further Executive decision to implement this change.

Officers stated that they had been working in consultation with the Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership and the Lincolnshire Community Safety Partnership on the implementation of the Transformation project.

Mr Darryl Smalley, a member of the public, presented a petition to the Committee entitled "Don't Leave Lincoln in the Dark". He outlined the reasons behind the submission of the petition including, amongst others, the lack of communication with the public about the project, the effect on vulnerable people particularly those suffering from mental health issues and the elderly, crime, people's quality of life, evidence by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) and the need for an appeals process to allow members of the public to request that certain street lights were kept on.

Questions from the Committee to Mr Darryl Smalley and his response included the following:-

1. Did the decision of the Executive Councillor for Highways and Transport address the concerns raised in the petition.  Mr Darryl Smalley stated that the decision of the Executive Councillor did address some of the concerns in the petition but there were still issues with people with mental health and anxiety problems.

2. Were all of the 4,000 names on the petition from Lincoln? Mr Darryl Smalley stated as the petition was an on-line petition the majority of petitioners were from Lincoln and surrounding villages in Lincolnshire but a small number were from out of the county.

3. The Council had had to make and still had to make some difficult decisions on its finances in recent years and in the future. If you were in charge of the Council's finances where would you make savings? Mr Darryl Smalley stated that he was unable to suggest where any savings could be made in the Council's budget at the current time and added that the setting up of an appeals process would not be too difficult to implement to help vulnerable people on a case by case basis.

4. Were the signatures on the petition obtained before the Executive Councillor for Highways and Transport had made a decision to leave all 'part-night' lights on until midnight? Mr Darryl Smalley stated that most of the signatures had been obtained before the Executive Councillor had made his decision to leave all 'part-night' lights on until midnight.

Officers addressed the various points raised in the petition including the following:-

1. With regard to the lack of communication with the public a copy of the Spring edition of County News was distributed to every household in Lincolnshire. This contained a comprehensive article about the Street Lighting Transformation project and how residents could find out more. Further publicity was given to the project on the Council's website and proactive press releases.

2. Within the overall project street lights had been left on in accordance with exception criteria listed on the website. Members of the public were already able to contact the Council if they felt that their location met one of the exceptions with a view to all night lighting being maintained. Members of the public were able to email/contact the Council if they had an enquiry about street lighting at any time.

3. Many local authorities had already implemented similar projects to that being carried out by the Council from as early as 2007.

4. There was a significant reduction in vehicle movements after midnight.

The Chairman and members of the Committee thanked Mr Darryl Smalley for his petition and presentation and proceeded to give consideration the report and the petition.

Discussion between the Committee and officers included the following topics:-

1. In view of the need for the Council to save £140m what action was being taken to get the Government to increase its funding to the Council? The Committee noted that the lobbying of the Government to increase its funding to the Council was taking place.

2. What monitoring of the project was in place? Officers stated that it was proposed to receive data from the Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership and the Lincolnshire Community Safety Partnership on an annual basis and this would allow the Council to monitor the effects of the project on accidents and crime. Officers stated that a significant night time increase in crime was generally linked to the night time economy.

3. What method was used for checking appeals and were members able to check? Officers stated that each appeal was checked in accordance with the exception criteria and it would be possible for members to review the appeals process.

4. There did not appear to be any pattern why some street lights were left on and others switched off and some routes used by emergency vehicles had had their street lights switched off. Officers explained the street lighting policy and added that only emergency facilities were lit otherwise it would mean having to light every route to these locations which would defeat the objective of saving money by reducing the amount of street lighting. Officers stated that Lincolnshire Police had not contacted the Council to report any increase in crime as a result of the measures and added that street lights could assist burglars.

5. What was the breakdown of the savings between the use of LED street lights and part night lighting? Officers stated that they did not have this information readily available and would send it to the Committee as soon as possible.

(Post meeting note -

What is the split of projected savings between LED and Part Night Lighting/Switch Offs?

·         Proposed LED Lantern conversions – approximately £1,000,000 savings

·         Proposed Part Night / Switch Offs – approximately £700,000 savings

Both figures include a reduction in ongoing maintenance needs)

6. Sometimes residents requested that street lights were switched off and in the event of an emergency vehicle having to attend a residential property it was usually common practice to leave the house lights on.

7. There was sometimes confusion on the lighting of footpaths and streets. District Councils generally had responsibility for the former.

8. What was the situation in connection with street lighting in a cul de sac which had 40 houses? Officers stated that these lights would go part lighting and be switched off at midnight. Officers stated that intermittent lighting (alternate lights switched off) could cause problems for the partially sighted in that they created pockets of darkness.

9. There was more economic activity at night in urban areas.

10. The use of LED lighting was welcomed but why had not the Council converted all lamps to LED? Officers stated that this had been considered but the costs of upwards of £18m had been deemed prohibitive. Officers stated that other Councils had introduced all LED lighting but were now considering part night lighting too, as LED conversions alone had not made sufficient savings.

Officers stated that during the period of the transformation project the Council would focus on installing the new equipment required for the project. The majority of minor faults would therefore be addressed when personnel visited the particular column to either convert this to LED or install the part night lighting photocells. However, the Council would still respond to emergencies and it was appreciated when the public continued to report faults so that appropriate action could be taken in due course.

The Committee's positive comments in connection with the Executive Councillor for Highways and Transport's decision to change the Council's policy and leave all 'part-night' lights on until midnight, instead of 10pm, were noted.

RESOLVED

(a) That the petition be noted and passed to the Executive Councillor for Highways and Transport for a formal response to be sent to the petitioner.

(b) That the Committee's comments made on the petition, the progress report and the responses of officers, be noted.