Councillors opposed to streetlights being switched off overnight in St Austell

TOWN councillors have voiced their opposition to streetlights being switched off or dimmed in St Austell.

Members of the council heard that Cornwall Council was due to bring in the final phase of its countywide streetlight switching off and dimming scheme with St Austell being affected.

Town clerk David Pooley told town councillors that some lights will be switched off from midnight to 5am Sunday to Thursday and dimmed on Friday and Saturday between midnight and 5am, while other lights will be switched off from midnight to 5am seven days a week. He also stated that the streetlights in the town centre will not be affected .

A study of an interactive map on Cornwall Council’s website shows that most of the lights affected in the town’s residential areas will come under the Sunday to Thursday switch-off. Many of the busier roads across the town do not come under the scheme.

During a discussion, disappointment was expressed that town and parish councils and the public were not formally consulted on the matter.

The potential for more thefts and burglaries was highlighted and there were concerns for vulnerable people including women and children.

The town council voted by 10 to two to object to the streetlights being switched off or dimmed “due to the well-known ASB (anti-social behaviour) and crime issues in this area and the strong likelihood that ASB and crime will increase as a result of the additional periods of darkness”.

The council also unanimously decided to instruct Mr Pooley to write to Cornwall Council “to complain about the lack of transparency and inadequacy of the consultation with town and parish councils and the public in relation to this initiative and to seek an apology”.

Cornwall Council says the switching off of the lights reduces energy consumption and, in that way, saves money. The scheme also cuts light pollution.