Agenda item

Petition e15/2024-25 - Switch Street Lights Back On

Report of the Director of City Services and Commercial

 

To consider the above petition bearing 1482 signatures.

 

The petition is being sponsored by Councillor S Nazir, a Foleshill Ward Councillor, who has been invited to the meeting for the consideration of this item, along with the Petition Organiser.

 

Minutes:

The Cabinet Member for City Services considered a report of the Director of City Services and Commercial, which responded to a petition requesting that the streetlights be switched back on overnight.

 

The petition contained 1482 signatures and in accordance with the City Council’s procedure for dealing with petitions, those related to road safety and parking issues were heard by the Cabinet Member for City Services.  The Cabinet Member had considered the petition in advance of the meeting and requested that the petition be dealt with by Determination Letter rather than a formal report being submitted to the meeting.

 

On receipt of the Determination Letter, the Petition Organiser advised she wanted the issue to be considered at a Cabinet Member for City Services meeting.

 

The Determination Letter acknowledged that the decision to turn off the streetlights in the early hours across the City might concern a number of residents.  It also made reference to the fact that the decision was not taken lightly and was a response to extreme funding pressures and a drive to reduce the Council’s carbon footprint.

 

The part-night street lighting saw the lighting switched off between midnight and 5:30am on weeknights and between 1:00am and 5:30am at weekends when fewer people and cars were on the streets.  Officers had liaised with neighbouring authorities that also had a part night switch off and were regularly in touch with the Police and Community Safety Team who had not reported any significant issues linked to the part night switch off.  Areas adjacent to care homes, sheltered accommodation complexes and A&E departments remained in light and this was regularly reviewed.

 

The Petition Sponsor, Councillor S Nazir and the Petition Organiser spoke in support of the petition, highlighting the following:

 

·  Many residents had safety concerns over the part night light switch off and some residents felt it had curtailed their freedom

·  The part night light switch off had been in response to Council’s financial restraints

·  There had been no significant increase in crime reported by the part night light switch off

·  The upgrade to LED lights across the city in the coming months would provide an energy efficient solution

 

Officers advised consultation had been undertaken with all stakeholders and concerns from residents taken on board.  Officers had worked with the blue light sector in relation to the part night light switch off and an upgrade to LED lights across the city was planned.  Officers also undertook to investigate switching on the lights earlier than 5:30am in the short term.

 

The Cabinet Member for City Services, Councillor P Hetherton, acknowledged residents’ concerns regarding their safety in the dark.  She advised the LED light roll out across the city was an investment for the future, requiring less maintenance than the current lights and explained how the LED lights could be dimmed down to 30% but still give out as much light as the current lights. 

 

RESOLVED that the Cabinet Member for City Services:

 

1)  Note the petitioners’ concerns.

 

2)  Further to the actions which had been agreed to be issued by determination letter to the petition organisers as detailed in paragraph 1.10 of the report, Officers investigate switching on the lights from 5:00am instead of from 5:30am in the short term prior to the LED lights being installed.

 

 

Supporting documents: