Essex street lights review after Sarah Everard killing

Most street lamps in Essex have been switched off over night to save money since 2014

A council decision to switch off 70% of street lights overnight is to be reviewed in the wake of the death of Sarah Everard.

In 2014, Essex County Council decided to turn off most lights between 00:00 GMT and 05:00 GMT to save £1m a year.

Labour group leader Ivan Henderson said the policy should be reversed for "safety and wellbeing".

Conservative cabinet member Louise McKinlay said an advisory board would look at safety issues including lights.

Ms McKinlay said: "I think we would be really missing an opportunity here if we suggested just turning the lights on would solve this, but I am listening to women."

The switch-off sparked protests and Harlow, Basildon and Epping councils negotiated to keep some or all of the lights in their boroughs on.

Essex County Council said the move saved £1.3m a year.

Opponents to the overnight switch-off took their protest to Westminster in 2015

Analysis

By Simon Dedman, BBC Essex political reporter

Switching street lights off in the middle of the night to save money was a controversial policy when it was introduced by Essex County Council eight years ago.

It divided opinion, with many worried about rising crime, while others were glad street lights would stop beaming into bedroom windows and the carbon footprint would be cut.

An Essex Police Fire and Crime Commissioner report in 2017 found there was no link between the policy and a rise in crime.

Essex Labour have raised their opposition again to the policy this week in the wake of events from Sarah Everard's tragic death

The Conservatives - who are currently in control of the county council - say they are forming an advisory board to look at how they can make Essex streets safer for women and girls.

The Lib Dems believe the policy should be more flexible, with more cycle and walkways which should be lit all night - but it's right the lights are off in many residential areas.

This policy is set to become an issue again in the biggest set of local elections Essex has seen for many years.

Essex Labour campaigned against the switch-off with the Suzy Lamplugh Trust and Neighbourhood Watch Associations, and has also called for it to be reversed since its introduction.

Mr Henderson said: "Many women have to get up early hours and go to work and they are fearful of coming out of their street and putting their key in their car door.

"Where is the risk assessment for those who have no choice but to work in early hours in that pitch darkness?"

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Ms McKinlay said "language, how we treat people... public transport [and] understanding people's real, lived life experience" all make a difference to safety.

She added the policy had last been reviewed in 2017 and setting up the safety advisory board was "not just a knee-jerk reaction to the sad events of last week".

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