Thursday 30 October 2014
As budget cuts hit, Derbyshire county council is arming itself with low energy lighting to balance the books.
The council has agreed on £23 million investment to replace more than 68,000 street lights. These will have their bulbs, light fittings and shades replaced with a new LED fitting.
Of these, 22,000 older lamp posts will be replaced at the same time.
The council cited rising prices for pushing up the amount it has paid to keep streetlights on.
It believes the £23m spending on the LEDs could be paid back in less than a decade.
Councillor Dean Collins, Deputy Cabinet Member for Jobs, Economy and Transport said: “We're facing huge budget cuts of £157m over the next few years and we need to look for imaginative ways to do this. In just eight years we will have paid for the investment we are making.
"By investing in LED street lights we will save money on electricity and maintenance and reduce our carbon footprint."