Council to End Street Light Collaboration with Parishes in Takeover Move That Could Lead to Dimming or Switch-Offs

Westmorland and Furness Council is set to push through what could be a controversial new lighting policy that could see some lights across the district dimmed, switched off, or even removed entirely. 

The council’s Cabinet will next week be asked to approve the Westmorland and Furness Highways and Local Lighting Policy, a move that will pave the way for a takeover of street lights currently owned by town and parish councils.

If approved, town and parish councils will be “invited” to hand over their lights—though the reality is they may have little choice as Westmorland and Furness Council will end a previous agreement to work with town and parish councils to provide maintenance and energy supply paid for by town and parish councils put in place by Eden Council and South Lakes.

This comes after years of parish councils being forced to take on responsibility for lighting when Eden Council devolved ownership, warning that communities could lose lights altogether if they refused.

Now, Westmorland and Furness Council through its new policy is moving to take back the lights, but with no guarantees that lights will stay on or even remain in place. 

Westmorland and Furness council claims that bringing all street lights under its control “will benefit residents by ensuring consistency in maintenance”.

However, the councils new policy also makes clear that the future of many lights is uncertain, with significant cost-cutting measures faced by the council due to budget pressures the new lighting policy includes plans for dimming, part-night switch-offs, and full removal of lighting units all on the table in the policy although the council says this will be only via consultation.

The council claims that dimming lights by 50% and turning them off between midnight and 5am, where "local conditions permit," could save energy. Entire lighting units may be scrapped altogether once they reach the end of their lifespan. 

Concerns have been raised over safety implications, particularly for vulnerable people, and how a lack of lighting could impact rural communities. The council acknowledges that as a highways authority, it has a duty of care to road users. However, it also states that there is no legal obligation to keep lights on, only to ensure they are not in a dangerous condition. 

Another major factor behind the move is energy costs. The council admits that energy prices remain volatile. While the new policy also focuses on reducing light pollution and supporting dark skies initiatives.

At present, 540 street lights in Eden and 250 in South Lakeland are owned by town and parish councils. Barrow has no parish-controlled lighting. If the new policy is approved, town and parish councils will face a choice: hand over control of their lights to Westmorland and Furness Council or be left to manage them entirely on their own. With rising energy costs and limited budgets, many parish councils may have no option but to surrender their lighting assets to Westmorland and Furness Council without any guarantee that their communities will continue to be lit in the future.

The Cabinet will be recommended to approve the policy at its meeting in Barrow next week, setting the stage for another shake-up in local services that residents and parish councils will be watching closely to see if the lights on their streets could soon go dark.