Surrey to bid for funding to get streetlights turned back on

Surrey may be able to access the national Safer Streets Fund to get its street lights turned back on in crime hotspots.

The Government announced last week it was doubling the size of the fund to £45 million, following the death of Sarah Everard, who was walking home in south London.

But the Surrey Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) and Surrey County Council (SCC) will have to move quickly if they are to meet the deadline to apply for funding tomorrow (Thursday), and one councillor said they need to stop passing the buck between themselves.

"We try to encourage people to walk or cycle instead of using their cars, but they will only make that change if they feel safe,†said Fiona White, SCC councillor for Guildford West.

"I hear a lot of concerns from hospital staff and students, as well as local residents."

The council took the decision in 2016 to switch off 44,000 street lights across the county between 1am- and 5am to save £210,000 a year.

The Safer Streets Fund enables both PCCs and local authorities to bid for investment in initiatives such as street lighting that have been shown to prevent neighbourhood crime.

The fund, originally focused on the crimes of burglary, robbery, theft from the person and vehicle crime, is now shifting onto preventing sexual violence and so could be used to target parks and alleyways, and routes from bars, restaurants and nightclubs.

County council leader Tim Oliver told council last week that if Surrey Police requested lights be turned on at night for safety issues, they would be.

The council said it was up to police to identify where this is needed. Lights in some areas had already been turned back on for a few months 'to address a particular issue' at the request of the police, though the council declined to say where.

According to an SCC spokesman: "If residents have concerns about lighting in any particular area they should contact their local police force, who we work with regularly to consider any necessary changes to ensure residents feel safe and to help Surrey Police deal with crime."

PCC David Munro told the PCC panel this week, in response to a question from Woking councillor Will Forster, that he was supportive of a discussion but did not have a timescale.

"It's firmly in the hands of Surrey County Council; they're the one who switched the lights off, and so they need to be switching them on," he said, before adding: "We are in a position to move fast if we have to."

Cllr White, who sits on the PCC panel, said: "I'm afraid it looks as though we're in danger of playing ping pong with this one.

"Please – residents need a clear line, not ping pong between two authorities."

The PCC's office yesterday (Tuesday) said it would be putting in a bid, though it was too early to say anything about the potential areas or focus.

The council spokesman added: "Streetlights on main roads and in town centres remain on all night. Additionally, lights on pedestrian routes around train stations remain on for an hour after the last train, which may be later than 1am."

The Government will announce its funding decisions in May.