Costs are rising for all of us and the Parish Council is facing massive increases to our electricity bills. We’re trying to reduce our expenditure so that we can keep the council tax bill as low as possible. To help with this we’ve decided to do a trial in 3 parts of the parish where we will be turning off some of the street lights managed by the Parish Council for a 3 month period at the beginning of next year.

As well as cutting costs, this will be better for the health of both wildlife and local residents. The Dark Skies also give us the chance to see the stars and enjoy the natural environment. Parishioners in the trial areas have received letters to explain the plan and have been given the opportunity to share feedback with the council at all stages.

We’ll find out after the trial whether residents are happy to carry on or if adjustments are needed. Then we can start considering other parts of the parish which might benefit from darker skies. We’re hoping that residents will support this work and that we end up with lower bills and good environmental and ecological benefits.