Lambeth Council to Dim Streetlights Amid Financial Turmoil After £25M Climate Spending

[Social Media]

  

Lambeth Council, a Labour-run borough in south London, has announced plans to dim streetlights “mostly during the middle of the night” as part of measures to reduce energy costs and address a significant budget shortfall. This decision comes after the council spent £25 million on climate initiatives, drawing criticism for prioritizing environmental projects over improving its core services.  

 

Citing “years of austerity,” the council also plans to increase parking charges and review council tax support and children’s centre provisions as part of its cost-saving measures. Meanwhile, the borough has faced scrutiny over its financial management. A 2023 investigation by *The Times* revealed Lambeth had allocated large sums to projects such as rain gardens, low-traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs), and cycle lanes, all aligned with its ambition to become net-zero by 2030—20 years ahead of the national target.  

 

Despite these climate-focused efforts, Lambeth has been flagged as one of the least effective councils in England for delivering essential services like adult social care and housing. Financial transparency has also been an issue, as the council has not published audited accounts for the past two financial years. A freedom of information request revealed that Lambeth carried debts of £936 million as of the last tax year, with annual interest payments nearing £10 million. Its last audited accounts from March 2022 also reported a pension liability of £116 million.  

 

The council's financial strategy report, released last week, highlighted a forecasted budget deficit of £69 million over the next four years, driven by inflation and the rising cost of emergency accommodation. Among the proposals to address this shortfall is the dimming of streetlights, a move the council claims will enhance its environmental record by reducing light pollution and energy use while maintaining public safety. However, Lambeth has not specified the potential savings from this measure.  

 

For context, Bracknell Forest Council, which serves a population less than half the size of Lambeth’s across a much larger area, estimated annual savings of £50,000 by dimming its streetlights by 10 percent.  

 

Critics have expressed concern about the implications of dimmer streetlights for public safety. The Suzy Lamplugh Trust, an anti-stalking charity, and Our Streets Now, which campaigns against public sexual harassment, have argued that such decisions often overlook women’s safety. Our Streets Now has criticized councils for treating these concerns as an “afterthought.”  

 

The council’s spending on salaries has also drawn attention. Lambeth employs 3,003 people, with an average annual salary of £48,163, marking a 6 percent increase from the previous year. Over 40 staff members earn more than £100,000 annually, including a director of climate and inclusive growth on £160,334—double his prior salary in the Mayor of London’s office. Other high earners include a director of climate change, planning, and transport (£143,355) and a director of community safety and resilience (£117,957). Additionally, more than 1,000 employees earn over £50,000, twice the number reported three years ago.  

 

The council spent £25 million on pension contributions last year, averaging nearly £8,500 per employee. These figures, alongside Lambeth’s significant debt and service failures, have fueled debate over the borough’s financial priorities. The council’s former headquarters, Phoenix House in Vauxhall, has been empty for five years since the authority developed a new site in Brixton. The local Liberal Democrats say that the empty building is costing £800,000 a year to run.

 

Despite Lambeth’s difficult financial position, it has spent £3.4 million on LTNs and £2.9 million on cycle lanes over the past five years. It has also spent £21 million on “decarbonisation and climate resilience” work, which includes making buildings more energy-efficient and adopting electric vehicles.

 

As the council seeks to navigate its financial crisis, its climate initiatives and spending practices remain under intense public scrutiny.

 

Based on a report by Times & Sunday Times 2024-12-18

 

 

 

 

 

[thaibeachlovers]

40 minutes ago, Social Media said:

It has also spent £21 million on “decarbonisation and climate resilience” work, which includes making buildings more energy-efficient and adopting electric vehicles.

Very naughty boys ( and girls ).

Seems that soon as the idiots get hold of the purse strings they go mad with other people's money and promote their loony tunes pet projects over doing their proper job.

 

Nothing unique to Lambeth though. NZ councils are being spanked by the government for wasting ratepayer's money on grandiose cycle lane projects and such like stupidities.

[stevenl]

"A 2023 investigation by *The Times* revealed Lambeth had allocated large sums to projects such as rain gardens, low-traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs), and cycle lanes, all aligned with its ambition to become net-zero by 2030—20 years ahead of the national target."

 

Excellent they're doing this, great projects to enhance safety, one of their essential tasks.

[Bkk Brian]

1 hour ago, stevenl said:

"A 2023 investigation by *The Times* revealed Lambeth had allocated large sums to projects such as rain gardens, low-traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs), and cycle lanes, all aligned with its ambition to become net-zero by 2030—20 years ahead of the national target."

 

Excellent they're doing this, great projects to enhance safety, one of their essential tasks.

Lambeth is one of the worst boroughs in London 

 

Debts of nearly £1 billion, massive staff salaries, the most dangerous borough for robbery some months in 2024, there's a huge list of the failures residents in Lambeth are suffering because of the sheer incompetence.

 

Look what you class as an essential task, no they are not doing an excellent job.

 

You really have missed the whole point of the article.

[stevenl]

9 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

Lambeth is one of the worst boroughs in London 

 

Debts of nearly £1 billion, massive staff salaries, the most dangerous borough for robbery in 2024, there's a huge list of the failures residents in Lambeth are suffering because of the sheer incompetence.

 

Look what you class as an essential task, no they are not doing an excellent job.

 

You really have missed the whole point of the article.

As usual you're distorting the post you're replying to.

[Bkk Brian]

9 minutes ago, stevenl said:

As usual you're distorting the post you're replying to.

Can you explain where? You can't because it shows just how your ignorance shines in the one item you took from the OP while ignoring the real problems of Lambeth, something that Lambeth is also doing. Have you not got the irony of that yet? No obviously not. The residents of Lambeth have.

[stevenl]

7 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

Can you explain where? You can't because it shows just how your ignorance shines in the one item you took from the OP while ignoring the real problems of Lambeth, something that Lambeth is also doing. Have you not got the irony of that yet? No obviously not. The residents of Lambeth have.

Yes, i took 1 item from the OP, because the OP took that as an example of mismanagement. A bad example from the OP, because it's an example of excellent management.

 

You stated "Look what you class as an essential task, no they are not doing an excellent job.", nowhere did i claim they're doing an excellent job. So you were distorting my post 

[Bkk Brian]

10 minutes ago, stevenl said:

Yes, i took 1 item from the OP, because the OP took that as an example of mismanagement. A bad example from the OP, because it's an example of excellent management.

 

You stated "Look what you class as an essential task, no they are not doing an excellent job.", nowhere did i claim they're doing an excellent job. So you were distorting my post 

You must have been ducking, its gone straight over your head. Your example is one of showing just how badly managed it is. An ideological war on net zero while their residents suffer from one of the worst crime ridden boroughs in London and almost 1 billion in debts! 

 

"Financial transparency has also been an issue, as the council has not published audited accounts for the past two financial years"

 

 

[JonnyF]

Oh dear. The lights are literally going out in Starmer's Britain.

 

A very special combination of tyranny and failure. 

[stevenl]

5 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

Your example is one of showing just how badly managed it is. An ideological war on net zero while their residents suffer from one of the worst crime ridden boroughs in London and almost 1 billion in debts! 

 

"Financial transparency has also been an issue, as the council has not published audited accounts for the past two financial years"

 

 

Maybe time for you to get back to what i wrote.

"Excellent they're doing this, great projects to enhance safety, one of their essential tasks."

Bicycle lanes and low traffic neighborhoods are really excellent for safety, don't you agree?

[Bkk Brian]

1 minute ago, stevenl said:

Maybe time for you to get back to what i wrote.

"Excellent they're doing this, great projects to enhance safety, one of their essential tasks."

Bicycle lanes and low traffic neighborhoods are really excellent for safety, don't you agree?

I addressed what you wrote twice already, you can repeat it as many times as you want, shows just how little you have.

[stevenl]

Just now, Bkk Brian said:

I addressed what you wrote twice already, you can repeat it as many times as you want, shows just how little you have.

Yes, you did if distorting and addressing are the same in your dictionary.

[Bkk Brian]

Just now, stevenl said:

Yes, you did if distorting and addressing are the same in your dictionary.

If showing your ignorance to the facts of mismanagement is distorting then yes.

[Eloquent pilgrim]

 

Woke socialist virtue signalling with other people’s money is easy; pursuing a risible nett zero emissions policy, while China was responsible for 32.88% of World CO2 emissions in 2024 and the UK for circa 1%    

 

 

[phetphet]

5 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Very naughty boys ( and girls ).

Seems that soon as the idiots get hold of the purse strings they go mad with other people's money and promote their loony tunes pet projects over doing their proper job.

 

Nothing unique to Lambeth though. NZ councils are being spanked by the government for wasting ratepayer's money on grandiose cycle lane projects and such like stupidities.

And pay themselves quite handsomely it seems. I'm alright Jack.

[MalcolmB]

6 hours ago, Social Media said:

The Suzy Lamplugh Trust, an anti-stalking charity, and Our Streets Now, which campaigns against public sexual harassment,

They should set up a booth at each end of soi 6.

 

Literally impossible to get from Second Road to the beach without dozens of sexual proposals and usually a genitalia fondle or 10.