Agenda item

The Committee has requested an update on the consultation relating to Part Night Lighting.  It has invited Cllr Andrew Gant, Cabinet member for Transport Management, to present the report and has also invited Paul Fermer, Director of Environment, Highways & Transport, and Caroline Coyne, Project Manager, to attend and to answer the Committee’s questions.

The Committee is asked to consider the report and raise any questions, and to AGREE any recommendations it wishes to make to Cabinet arising therefrom.

The Committee invited Cllr Liz Leffman, Leader of the Council, Cllr Andrew Gant, Cabinet member for Transport Management, to present the report and invited Paul Fermer, Director of Environment, Highways & Transport, and Caroline Coyne, Project Manager, to attend and to answer the Committee’s questions.

The Leader explained that the Council had introduced a street lighting and illumination policy in 2022, and, in November 2023, a framework was published by the then Cabinet member for Environment. The Leader noted that the way the framework was published had caused public concern, especially regarding safety when switching off lights at night, so the council decided not to proceed and instead sought further public engagement to understand both concerns and benefits, such as improved dark skies for biodiversity and nature recovery in some areas, and safety concerns in others. She highlighted consultation results, which showed support for part night lighting, and she emphasised that the proposal included exemptions for areas where it would not be suitable, to be considered at the next cabinet meeting.

The Cabinet Member for Transport Management described the process as a good example of the council listening to feedback and acting on it. He pointed out that about half of comparable councils had adopted similar policies and stressed that the Council’s approach required active support from the local county Councillor and other elected bodies for any area to be considered for part night lighting. He also noted that there was a list of exemptions, such as large urban areas like Oxford, which would not be eligible.

The Committee raised the following questions and comments:

·       Whether towns, such as Banbury and Witney, would be exempt from part night lighting, and what the basis was for deciding exemptions beyond Oxford. The Cabinet members, and officers, clarified that Oxford was given as an example, but that other large towns would also be unlikely to qualify due to the set exemptions, with eligibility determined on a case-by-case basis.

It was explained that the process would only proceed where both the community and local elected members supported it. County councillors could get involved by engaging with their communities, submitting requests to the street lighting team, and participating in scheme design and further consultation, following a process similar to the 20 mile an hour scheme. Final decisions would be made through the Cabinet member decision process.

·       How the process would work with parish councils and whether communities would be properly engaged to consider the impact of the part night lighting strategy, including support for groups such as shift workers. The Cabinet Member confirmed that, following lessons learned from previous projects, the Council would prompt parish and town councils to ensure they had consulted their residents and considered all relevant groups before making a request. The engagement team and street lighting officers would offer support, guidance, and prompts to help councils identify and address the needs of different user groups, ensuring a thorough and inclusive consultation process.

·       Whether the strategy considered not just switching off streetlights but also adjusting their brightness, and whether the use of cats eyes on roads had been explored as an alternative where lighting was reduced. It was explained that dimming and trimming of lights were already part of the approach, not just complete switch-off. It was also confirmed that the Council was participating in a national trial using enhanced cats’ eyes and improved road lining to compensate for reduced street lighting, with positive recognition for this work.

·       How residents' opinions were sought and considered, including who the policy was ultimately for, and what would happen were the county councillor and the parish or town council to disagree. The Leader and Cabinet Member explained that the policy required agreement from both the parish or town council and the county councillor for part night lighting to proceed; without both, it would not go ahead. However, it was noted that, in practice, there could be negotiation and, in some cases, residents' views might override those of the councillor. It was emphasised that consultation responses were carefully reviewed to ensure they reflected the views of local residents, as the policy was intended for those living in the affected areas, not just those passing through.

·       Why things went wrong the previous year when the part night lighting proposal was first brought forward. The Leader stated that the paper had been published before other cabinet members had seen it, and it did not sufficiently highlight the positives or address residents' concerns. As a result, it was withdrawn and a more thorough engagement process was undertaken. Officers added that there had been shortcomings in assembling a diverse project team and in conducting a detailed equality impact assessment, which, combined with political challenges, led to the initial failure. Lessons were learned, and a very different approach was adopted for the revised proposal.

·       Plans for LED lights, their impact on biodiversity and insects, and the funding and costs associated with implementing part night lighting. The Director of Environment and Highways explained that the LED programme had been largely delivered, with careful consideration given to the wavelength and colour of light to minimise negative effects on biodiversity. It was noted that further research was ongoing at a national level.

Regarding funding, it was stated that part night lighting initiatives would need to be funded by the local communities, as the council did not have a dedicated programme for this; however, the possibility of council investment was described as a live discussion, and some schemes could be cost neutral depending on savings achieved.

·       How plans would affect suburbs on the edge of towns and the issue of light pollution spilling into the countryside, as well as what could be done regarding automatic and sensor lights. The Director of Environment and Highways and the Project Manager explained that the Council’s asset management system allowed for a detailed review of streetlights and their locations, enabling nuanced decisions based on exemption lists and specific routes, such as those to train stations. Each scheme was considered on a case-by-case basis, with close collaboration with parish or town councils. Regarding sensor lights, it was stated that the Council aimed to be innovative and considered sensors where appropriate, particularly as part of replacement and maintenance programmes, but widespread use was limited by affordability.

·       The matter of funding for part night lighting implementation, potential future council commitments, and payback periods for various schemes was addressed. It was clarified that, at this time, any implementation costs would be borne by scheme applicants; however, the policy allows for the possibility of future Council funding through the standard budget-setting process. Payback periods were noted to differ by scheme type: rural schemes averaged 6.7 years, residential suburban schemes 5.4 years, and urban schemes 1.5 years, with the latter being unlikely to be achieved in practice.

The Committee requested that the wording of paragraph 5 of the Cabinet report be reviewed in relation to funding so as to reflect the possibility that funding could hypothetically be available in the future.

The Committee AGREED to recommendations under the following headings:

• That the Council should ensure it engages fully with town and parish councils to ensure that the needs of local communities are considered when applications for part-night lighting are made.

The Committee paused at 11:35 and resumed at 11:45.