Street Lighting Policy

As with all areas of spending the Council has to ensure that the funding which is allocated for Street Lighting is invested as efficiently and effectively as possible.

Requests for new Street Lighting schemes are received and it's important that investment is directed at those schemes which will provide the greatest improvement to the community in general.

The benefits of Street Lighting are:

• reduce road traffic collisions
• reduce the severity of road traffic accidents and safety of all users of the highway
• reduce the fear of crime and actual crime
• promote the night time economy
• consideration to particular requirements for lighting in conservation areas & areas of outstanding natural beauty

SBC's Street Lighting Policy is divided into a number of distinct categories, which are:

• financial - capital investment, maintenance and energy costs
• environmental - carbon emissions and light pollution
• amenity - visual and aesthetic impact

This policy strikes a balance between the benefits of and the costs of the Street Lighting by applying the British & European Standards.

Purpose and aim of the policy

The Councils vision is of a Borough that is more confident, more vibrant and more successful than ever before. A place where people can see that our drive, integrity and imagination have delivered genuine improvements and exceptional value for money and is a place that every single one of us is proud of.

The Council Plan sets out the overall ambitions and priorities for the Council, detailing the objectives, key actions and outcomes we aim to deliver during the three year-period of the plan (2019-2022).

The priorities are aligned to a number of themes, which include:

1. Economic Regeneration & Transport -Our vision of an economically prosperous Borough that is dynamic, exciting and inviting with infrastructure to support the development of business start-ups, business growth, new jobs and skills.
2. Environment and Housing -We aim to make the Borough a better place to live and a more attractive place to do business with clean streets, carefully tended parks and open spaces, affordable and desirable housing.
3. Community Safety -We want to make the Borough a place where levels of crime and fear of crime are low and people feel safe and secure.
4. Health and Wellbeing -We want the Borough to be a place where people are supported to be healthy.
5. Children and Young People -We want the Borough to be a great place to grow up, where children and young people are protected from harm and supported to be the best they can be in life.
6. Strong Communities -We are creating an environment where communities are diverse, cohesive, caring and vibrant.
7. Adult Services -We are working hard to make sure that people can get the right level and type of support at the right time to help, prevent, reduce or delay the need for ongoing support and maximise their independence.
8. Arts, Culture and Leisure -We are a Borough where our heritage, festivals, cultural activities, libraries and leisure facilities help us attract visitors and investment, courage literacy and learning and where sport and active leisure opportunities help people sustain healthier lifestyles.

Street Lighting plays a vital part in supporting the 'key' aims of the vision by helping to provide safer communities, supporting regeneration, helping to keep Stockton moving, tackling the impact of climate change and being a key factor in improving the environment.

The need for Street Lighting varies by location although it is generally accepted that urban and residential areas should be provided with Street Lighting, however the level and standard of lighting provided will be dependent on a number of factors. For example, town and large urban areas may have relatively higher crime rates and may benefit from the provision of a high level of Street Lighting where as in rural areas there may be constrained by the level and type of lighting considered necessary.