22/12/2004 - Scrutiny investigates streetlighting

A special scrutiny working group of Cumbria County Council has been set up to look into shortfalls in street lighting budgets in the county.

The working group was established to investigate budget shortfalls after some local area committees complained that street lighting maintenance costs had gone up with the onset of new Highways Term Maintenance Contract rates.

The working group has already met once and will meet again in January before reporting back to Overview and Scrutiny Committee and making recommendations to Cabinet.

Councillors from the Local Committee for Allerdale heard earlier this month about a projected overspend on its street lighting maintenance budget which could reach £150,000 by the end of the financial year if left unchecked.

Gerald Humes, chairman of Allerdale Local Committee said: "We are most concerned about this - we would have been looking at an even bigger overspend once other costs were added in. Members are very worried as its seems it is due to the new prices in the term maintenance contract agreed with County Contracting Services earlier in the year. If this is the case we will have ongoing budgetary problems unless Cabinet decides either to renegotiate parts of this contract, or allocate more money to local committees.

"We have made our concerns known to the council leaders, to the Strategic Overview and Scrutiny Committee, and to the chairs of the other local committees so we can find a way of resolving the financial problem."

In the meantime, Mr Humes said, the Allerdale area committee had decided to continue replacing light bulbs and would disconnect live electric supplies for health and safety reasons where there is a fault, but more serious repair work, together with cleaning and routine testing, would be put on hold until the issue was resolved.