Council should hand over light responsibility

I READ with interest in Battle Town Council minutes that further meetings are to be held with the street lighting maintenance contractor to see how the council can most economically combine the programme of repairs with work to adapt lights to a “part night” operating regime.
By The Newsroom
Published 25th Jan 2013, 05:00 BST

Although the council’s budget for next year has yet to be finalised the contractor has been advised that a figure of £25,000 might be available.

We need to remind ourselves that in 1974 Battle took on responsibility for their streetlights.

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Since then Battle rate payers have paid not only for our street lighting but we also contribute via ESCC rates to the lighting bills for Eastbourne, Hastings, Lewes, Rye etc.

May I suggest the costs already identified by the committee for altering the timing of street lights might be better spent in exploring with East Sussex County Council bringing the lighting standards of Battle roads up to county council standards on the basis that the County Council then take over responsibility. Over time this would produce significant savings for Battle.

I appreciate the town council has agreed that street lighting future developments will from the beginning be the responsibility of the county council.

As for the prominent article on ‘part night’ (ie switching lights off between midnight and 5am) on this subject in the latest newsletter not producing any negative responses perhaps others, like me, were relying on the promise made by the town council that the public would be consulted before any decision is made.

J E Goldsworthy (Mrs)

Glengorse

Battle

Related topics:East Sussex County CouncilBattleEastbourneLewesRyeHastingsCounty council