THOUSANDS of pounds have been refunded to the council following the change of street light bulbs to LED.

Tiptree Parish Council has been refunded £5,000 due to the decrease in costs since installing LED streetlights in the village.

The council has saved 50 per cent of what it would usually pay for the cost of running the lights.

Gazette: Managed - street lights managed by Essex County Council in TiptreeManaged - street lights managed by Essex County Council in Tiptree (Image: ECC)

A new contract for the lighting has been negotiated going forward at a cheaper rate than before.

Work began to replace streetlights in Tiptree in summer 2021, as part of a wider scheme in the Colchester district.

Gazette: Past - street light photograph in Essex before LED installationPast - street light photograph in Essex before LED installation (Image: ECC)

Tiptree Parish Council manages 160 streetlights within the parish and expects further works to upgrade the bulbs to be completed by April 2025.

A total of £26.8 million was invested by Essex County Council into replacing lights across the county.

The scheme is expected to save approximately £2.2 million a year in energy and maintenance costs across Essex.

Gazette: Refreshed - same area now lit up with LED lightsRefreshed - same area now lit up with LED lights (Image: ECC)

There has been some controversy about the lights being too bright but the council addressed concerns by quoting a report from Public Health England, which said: “To damage your eyesight you would need to be less than two metres away from the lantern and stare at it steadily for 2.5 hours”.

A parish council spokesman said: “Tiptree Parish Council are delighted to announce a significant milestone in its commitment to sustainability and fiscal responsibility.

“Through a comprehensive energy efficiency initiative, the council has successfully achieved a 50 per cent reduction in the energy consumption of street lighting, resulting in a refund of £5,000.

Gazette: Council - Tiptree Parish Council buildingCouncil - Tiptree Parish Council building (Image: Google)

“These monies will help Tiptree meet its financial responsibilities for the year.

“This achievement not only underscores Tiptree's dedication to environmental stewardship but also aligns with the council's budgetary goals for the current and future fiscal year.

“Tiptree Parish Council manages 161 streetlights within the parish and has been working to upgrade the entire stock to energy-efficient bulbs.

“The project to upgrade the remaining bulbs should be completed by April 2025.”