Monmouthshire existing Street Lighting Patrol Service is due to be axed in November in a cost cutting exercise saving the county £22,000 per year.

Conservative run Monmouthshire made the decision at its Cabinet meeting saying that the budget for street lighting was forecast to overspend.

It is expected that other council staff, Town and Community Councils, local councillors and residents will fill the gap.

Speaking on the proposal to The Beacon, Chepstow councillor, Phil Hobson, leader of the Liberal Democrats on Monmouthshire County Council said, "The decision has been made and yet Town and Community Councils are yet to be consulted. This means that the decision has already been made, which is a very different matter than consulting beforehand."

"The council has admitted that it foresee problems occurring now the service is being axed."

Cllr. Hobson added that he regularly checks street lamps in his own ward and said they defects are fixed quickly, "although figures from the County Council show that two thirds of all street light problems were reported by the patrol and only a third coming from other sources. There is far too much reliance on leaving the reporting of problems to chance."

Presently the council employees two officers on a part-time basis to carry out scheduled evening patrols of all street lights in the County and report any problems with the lighting. Problems are recorded on the county council's database and instructions for repairs are sent to a maintenance contractor.

County Council papers reveal that the withdrawal of the service will mean that the quality of information of reports is going to be less reliable and that duplicate reports are inevitable. Concern is raised that the withdrawal of the service will place too much reliance upon the role of Town and Community Councils without consultation.

From November, the reporting of defective street lamps will rely largely on Council staff, Town and Community Councils, local councillor and the general public.

At the time of going to press Town and Community councils were yet to be consulted on the withdrawal of the service.

Monmouthshire's Cabinet agreed to the withdrawal of the street lighting patrol at its meeting on Wednesday, September 3rd, 2008.

The future employment of the two part-time members of staff affected by the withdrawal of the service will be managed in accordance with the Council's employment protection policy, with severance costs being met from existing budgets.

The withdrawal of the service will result in the Street Lighting Service reducing costs in the region of £22,000 per annum. Possible severance costs of up to £16,000 to be absorbed with the service budget of the Regeneration, Environment and Resources directorate of the County Council.