Liberal Democrats kept up their pressure on the ruling Conservative group at county hall on Tuesday.

The LibDem alternative budget, which was balanced and fully costed, allowed for up to one-third of all lights currently going off at midnight, to be turned back on, with the lights chosen by the local county councillor for each area.

However when LibDem councillor Malcolm Cowan (Handside and Peartree) asked the Conservatives which councillors would take up this opportunity, not one put their hand up. ‘This clearly shows that the promised review of part night lighting is likely to be no more than window dressing, when the Tories are not interested themselves. They are unlikely to allow other parties’ councillors to turn lights back on if they won’t do it themselves.

‘This really is a dog in the manger attitude – I know from my surveys how many people want more lighting at night, but it looks as if they may be denied’ he added.