Issue - meetings

1.  That the Committee supports Option 1, Part Night Lighting – ‘what we have at the moment’ - subject to:

·  Maintaining the current summer and winter hours of operation

·  Maintaining the current all night operation in:

o  busy main roads;

o  town centres;

o  places where the police say it may lead to more crimes;

o  places with sheltered housing and where vulnerable people live;

o  places with emergency services, hospitals and nursing homes;

o  pedestrian crossings, subways and alleyways that go to an all-night lit road;

o  where there are speed humps, roundabouts and traffic islands;

o  roads that have local authority or police CCTV cameras; and

o  footpaths that may have or might be unsafe next to roads.

·  All night lighting being extended to areas where there is high public demand for it, and in densely populated urban areas on the outskirts of Maidstone, and in rural areas where there are train stations or other transport or employment hubs.

2.  That the Committee support the dimming of lights between Midnight and 5am to reduce light pollution and save energy. It does not support dimming lights at other times because of the needs of commuters and shift workers.

3.  That the Committee requests that KCC undertakes ongoing monitoring of the statistical linkage between accidents and reduced/dimmed lighting – particularly in the pre-dawn period in winter months, and reviews lighting arrangements accordingly.

Roger Adley, Communications Manager, introduced the Report of the Head of Policy and Communications – KCC Street Lights consultation. It was explained that Kent County Council (KCC) was switching to LED street lights and sought views on street lighting options across Kent. 

The Committee considered comments received from Councillors and Heads of Service and the Council’s response.

RESOLVED:

1.  That the Committee supports Option 1, Part Night Lighting – ‘what we have at the moment’ - subject to:

·  Maintaining the current summer and winter hours of operation

·  Maintaining the current all night operation in:

o  busy main roads;

o  town centres;

o  places where the police say it may lead to more crimes;

o  places with sheltered housing and where vulnerable people live;

o  places with emergency services, hospitals and nursing homes;

o  pedestrian crossings, subways and alleyways that go to an all-night lit road;

o  where there are speed humps, roundabouts and traffic islands;

o  roads that have local authority or police CCTV cameras; and

o  footpaths that may have or might be unsafe next to roads.

·  All night lighting being extended to areas where there is high public demand for it, and in densely populated urban areas on the outskirts of Maidstone, and in rural areas where there are train stations or other transport or employment hubs.

For: 5  Against: 3    Abstentions: 1

2.  That the Committee support the dimming of lights between Midnight and 5am to reduce light pollution and save energy. It does not support dimming lights at other times because of the needs of commuters and shift workers.

For: 5  Against: 1  Abstentions: 3

3.  That the Committee requests that KCC undertakes ongoing monitoring of the statistical linkage between accidents and reduced/dimmed lighting – particularly in the pre-dawn period in winter months, and reviews lighting arrangements accordingly.

For: 9  Against: 0  Abstentions: 0