Decision details

The Portfolio Holder for Resources and Property will be asked to make a decision to invest £442,000 from the Net Zero Fund to upgrade West Suffolk Council owned streetlights to LED to offer £14,000 (after borrowing) financial savings and 82.25 tonnes of carbon savings by reducing the overall electricity consumption. Those streetlights upgraded to LED can then also be incorporated onto Suffolk County Council’s Central Management System.

Resolved:

That an investment of £442,000 from the Net Zero Fund to upgrade streetlights under West Suffolk Council ownership to LED, including the proposal to dim the lights by 75 percent (to match the level of Suffolk County Council owned lights), be approved.

This would create a saving of 82.25 tonnes carbon by reducing the overall electricity consumption, and a budget saving after borrowing costs of just under £14,000.

As part of the review of streetlighting in the district, it had been identified that West Suffolk Council currently owns streetlights that have yet to be updated to LED or be incorporated onto Suffolk County Council’s Central Management System.  The cost-saving benefits involved in updating the Council’s own stock using invest-to-save budgets has been recognised, together with the carbon savings generated from the upgrading and dimming of the lights.

West Suffolk could decide to take no action at this time and not upgrade the streetlights in its ownership to LED. However, it should be noted that at some point the light columns will need works doing to them and upgrading to take place and the Council would have lost the opportunity to reduce its carbon footprint earlier along with achieving financial savings through reduced energy consumption.

An alternative option around the level of investment was also considered. The costs included in this decision notice are based on completing all works required over the medium term as opposed to just the minimum work required to enable LED installation. This is to avoid additional costs of the engineer’s time across the medium to longer terms of having to make multiple visits.