Even before the draft budget for Powys has been put in front of councillors, a U-turn on street lighting cuts has been made.

A review into street lighting based on a plan for town and community councils to pay for local lighting needs, saving £150,000, has now been binned.

The departmental target will be reduced by £75,000 for this year and the proposal kicked into the long grass for a year.

Anti-poverty champion and non-aligned county councillor for Newtown East, Joy Jones, said that she was delighted that the cabinet had listened to concerns about switching the lights off.

She believes that switching off the lights would have allowed criminals to take advantage of the situation.

Cllr Jones said: “I am so pleased they have listened.

“This would have been a step too far for residents - putting council tax up and then removing street lights.

“It would also make the towns and county a lot more dangerous.

“There have been attacks and we know Powys is an area being targeted by drug gangs as part of ‘county lines’.

“Switching the lights off would mean a rise in crime.”

Cabinet member for highways, transport and recycling, Cllr Phyl Davies, said: “Cabinet has reviewed the savings proposed for street lighting and now proposes to reduce the 2019/20 savings target to £75,000, which will be achieved without significant loss of lighting provision.

"Proposals which could see lighting provision reduced significantly will be considered as part of a fundamental review of the service designed to deliver savings in the 2020/21 financial year.”

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