Street lights to cost extra £2.5m

Five West Midland councils face paying an extra £2.5 million between them just to keep their street lights working as the cost of energy soars.

Faced with soaring bills, they are being urged to turn off half their street lights to save money.

In Wolverhampton, the bill for street lights is rising by £596,000 from £824,000 in 2006 to £1.42 million by 2010.

In Dudley, council leader David Caunt said the cost of street lighting had increased by £500,000 a year.

In Birmingham, the cost is rising £700,000 this year, taking the total street-lighting bill to more than £7 million. Walsall is spending an extra £300,000 while Sandwell's bill is rising by £500,000 a year.

The West Midlands TaxPayers' Alliance today called on councils to save taxpayers' money by switching off unnecessary lights.

Sandwell Council's cabinet member for strategic resources, Councillor Steve Eling, said: "Between April 2005 and March 2008 we avoided the major price rises over that period.

"Along with our partners in the Black Country Purchasing Authority – Dudley and Wolverhampton – we have negotiated a new two year deal for electricity.

"Inevitably the cost of this contract is higher."