Oct 2008 15

The lights are off and nobody's home3

Korea_lights_lgPowys Council and others, sadly, have taken the drastic step of turning street lights off during the night to save money as well as energy.  Despite the best of intentions, a story in the Daily Express today – not online – reveals some unfortunate unintended consequences.

The effects of the scheme were felt by disabled Powys resident Audrey Powell who said the switch-off leaves her too afraid to go out of an evening.  She has good reason too as the article also notes that when a trial switch-off was piloted in Essex, vandals caused £2,000 worth of damage in a vandalism spree. 

Fear of crime and anti social behaviour are already rife among the vulnerable that a light switch-off can only add to the anxiety.  It’s akin to giving residents a curfew.  When the lights go off, you go home.  But as usual the law abiding public obey the law.  How are people, especially in rural areas like Powys, expected to spot criminal behaviour or identify the perpetrators of anti social behaviour? 

Please do write to the leader of Powys Council, Cllr E. Michael Jones ([email protected]), and ask him to reconsider the switch off.  The trial has been completed and it’s left the most vulnerable afraid to leave their homes.  Local government is about basic service delivery, the lights, bins and parks.  Urge Cllr. Jones to cut back on their bureaucracy and waste – as we set out in our Ten Per Cent Challenge – and to turn the lights back on in Powys.

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  • W.S.Becket

    On the subject of Wales, I am glad to report that the North Wales branch of the TPA has now been formed and is flexing its muscles before springing into action.
    Anyone one in North Wales who wishes to join in the fun should contact Bill Becket on 01286 – 870817.

  • W.S.Becket

    You might have thought that the recent parliamentary scandals would have prompted MP’s to cut back a little on some of their meaningless extravagences.
    Not a bit of it and last Sunday seven Welsh MP’s – all members of the rather pompous Welsh Affairs Committee – decamped for a tour of the Baltic region to look at digital inclusion (ie rural areas without broadband) and – God knows why – to compare Baltic harbours with Welsh ports.
    Of course, any expert could have told the committee what it wanted to know for the cost of a phone call but that, of course, would have solved the problem without the benefits of business travel and expensive hotels.
    When asked for the total cost of the junket, the WAC office declined to answer.

  • Alan Rogers

    In Wales the NHS spends over £1,000,000 of taxpayers’ money paying clerics to make religious visits to patients and staff.
    This could and should be funded by a charitable trust.
    In England the situation is even worse!