The Cabinet Member - Highways and Transportation introduced a report by the Strategic Director, Regeneration and Environment which set out a comprehensive review of the Council’s approach to managing and maintaining street lighting, included a street lighting strategy and action plan (Appendix 1), and replaced the earlier budget savings option of switching off street lights (Appendix 2).

The Cabinet noted that the maintenance of highways, including street lighting, was a statutory duty imposed on the Council as the Highway Authority for Wirral.

The Cabinet also noted that the development of the approach proposed would result in a reduction in energy consumption and a subsequent reduction in the carbon levy.  Also, the future maintenance costs would be reduced resulting in greater savings to the Council.

RESOLVED: That

(1)  the proposed Street Lighting Strategy and Action Plan be approved;

(2)  the £4.3 million Capital funding required be endorsed and referred to Council for approval and inclusion in the Council’s Capital Programme; and

(3)  the ceasing of the 2014/15 budget saving of £85,000 from the switching off of street lights be approved and this be referred to the Council for its approval for it to be met from:

(a)  replacing with compensatory 'one-off' savings from approved budgets within the Environment and Regulatory Service in 2014/15; and

(b)  subsuming within the planned savings from the implementation of new strategy from 2015/16.