Archived decisions

Contact: Tony Stephens, ext 6938

1. Summary

1.1 This report covers:

(i) Street Lighting Maintenance Contract;

(ii) Column Replacement Programmes 2002/03 and 2003/04;

(iii) Energy Contract;

(iv) Community Safety Initiative 2002/03 and 2003/04;

(v) Street Lighting Policy; and

(vi) Adoption of All Street Lighting by Hampshire County Council.

2. Street Lighting Maintenance Contract

2.1 The Street Lighting Maintenance Contract continues to provide a high percentage of 'lights on' across the county. There are still some administrative issues to be resolved by the contractor, including completion of the supply of specialist vehicles.

2.2 In addition the contractor is considering administrative changes which it is hoped will reduce overheads and ensure the consolidation of Southern Electric Contracting's lighting services within the county.

3. Column Replacement Programmes 2002/03 and 2003/04

3.1 The column replacement programme was instigated some 10 years ago to counter the problem of decaying street lighting columns. Initially, this was a problem with concrete columns, but it became apparent that steel columns were also corroding - some from within - and there was an urgent need to start a programme of replacement.

3.2 In 1997 a programme of detailed visual and tactile structural inspection was introduced as part of the cyclic maintenance programme. Since then the information gleaned from those inspections has been used to plan and prioritise the annual programme. Now the recording of these inspections is initially being transcribed onto the Street Lighting Information Management System computer database to provide a more easily accessible stream of information. This will also be supplemented by a system of electronic testing when a suitable inexpensive system becomes available. In 2003/04 the budget for this work will, subject to confirmation, be £1.2 million.

3.3 This aspect of the county-wide maintenance contract generally is working well and, whilst there has been some overall slippage, the 2002/03 programme should be completed by the end of March 2003.

3.4 During the present financial year the street lighting in Grantham Avenue, Hamble was replaced.

3.5 During 2003/04 the street lighting in the following roads will be replaced:

(i) Merdon Avenue;

(ii) Forest Road;

(iii) Brownhill Road;

(iv) Terriote Close;

(v) Brownhill Close;

(vi) Somerset Crescent;

(vii) Falcon Square;

(viii) Magpie Lane (South);

(ix) Robin Square; and

(x) Dove Dale.

4. Energy Contract

4.1 The energy contract continues to operate in a satisfactory manner. A problem of underpayment due to inventory summary problems at Scottish and Southern Energy will be resolved by the end of February.

4.2 Discussions with the Local Authority Central Buying Consortium will recommence in mid-summer to consider the form of a new supply contract for April 2004, when the possibility of increasing the `green' energy content of this contract will be considered.

5. Community Safety Initiative 2002/03 and 2003/04

5.1 Eastleigh Borough Council made no bid in 2002/03 for funding under the Community Safety Initiative partnership.

5.2 Letters requesting bids for the forthcoming financial year have been sent out, with the anticipation of a further programme of value £120,000 county-wide for 2003/04.

6. Street Lighting Policy

6.1 Following a service review in 1999, the County Council revised its street lighting policy, which was confirmed by the Executive Member for Environment in early 2002. The document has now been published and engineering and planning departments of local authorities throughout Hampshire will be sent copies, which should assist them in dealing with planning applications. The aim is to reduce the effects of light pollution, light trespass and energy wastage. Further copies of the Policy Document will be supplied by the Lighting Section on request.

7. Adoption of All Street Lighting by Hampshire County Council

7.1 The County Council currently owns and maintains some 130,466 items of illuminated street furniture (street lights, illuminated signs and bollards). There are also some 11,500 further items - almost all of which are street lights - located at various sites throughout the county which are owned and maintained by various parish, district and borough councils. The majority of these units are located on the highway.

7.2 The proposal at the last meeting was that all the street lights owned by the various councils throughout Hampshire should be transferred to the ownership of the County Council.

7.3 The overall cost of the maintenance and energy of the parish, district and borough council-owned street lights is as follows:

Maintenance £276,000

Energy £134,000

Total £410,000

In addition, an annual administration fee of £21,000 is paid by the parish, district and borough councils to the County Council for the management and administration of the work undertaken.

7.4 If a proposal to adopt lighting should go forward then all lighting authorities throughout the county would need to be consulted. In addition, a decision would need to be made regarding lighting located off-highway but within parish, district and borough council property.

Recommendation

That this report be noted.

7771/ALS