LIB DEMS BACK STREET LIGHT CAMPAIGNERS

10.00.42pm GMT Wed 20th Jan 2010

Residents of Winstanley Road attended last week's meeting of Saffron Walden Town Council to present a petition against the continued policy, introduced by Conservative-controlled Essex County Council, of switching off the street lights in residential areas at night. They drew attention to an apparent increase in crime during the period of darkness. The Council agreed to consider the residents' concerns at a future meeting, since it could, in principle, pay out of its own funds to keep the lights on throughout the night. Cllr Richard Freeman, concerned that the Council had no budget for these matters, proposed that £5,000 be set aside to keep more of the Town's street lights on throughout the night.

Cllr Freeman said "The environmental cost could be fully offset by buying the electricity from a green energy supplier. I'm delighted that my colleagues agreed to my proposal. Hopefully we can do something to allay the growing fear of crime among local residents and make Saffron Walden a safer place."