Lights Out in Hitchin?

THE Conservative-run County Council has rejected carefully-costed Lib Dem proposals to reverse plans to switch off some of the streetlights between midnight and 6am. These could include road junctions.

This, and other proposals, could have been funded by getting better deals on purchases, especially on road repairs, reducing the massive county press and publicity budget & senior management posts, by getting rid of surplus buildings & cutting councillors' free lunches at County Hall.

Labour, who have claimed to oppose the street light turn off - despite supporting the Tories' original plan, also refused to support the Lib Dems' plans to keep more streetlights on.

Lib Dem District Councillor Clare Body said, "It is bitterly disappointing that the Conservatives put protecting their publicity budget and councillors' free lunches before keeping our streetlights on. We believe this puts people at risk and the Tories do not seem to care."

Please let us know what you think.