Laindon housing group 'will fix' faulty street lights five years on

7 December 2022

Lois Worrow and Peter WalkerBBC Essex

News image — Swan Housing said it would arrange for the lights to be fixed

Steve Cooper A faulty street light in Laindon, Basildon — Swan Housing said it would arrange for the lights to be fixed

A housing association has promised to fix six faulty street lights which one resident first reported to local authorities five years ago.

Steve Cooper first emailed Basildon Council and Essex County Council about the lights on the Five Links estate in Laindon in November 2017.

The six bulbs in Crosse Courts failed to illuminate every night.

Swan Housing, responsible for the lights' maintenance, said it was first notified of the problem this month.

Steve Cooper Steve Cooper who has been reporting faulty street lights in Basildon for five years — Steve Cooper said the estate in Laindon felt very unsafe without the streetlights switched on

"It's just quite ridiculous," said Mr Cooper, a 61-year-old retail worker who has family living on the estate.

"I think it is all indicative of how the estate is thought of really. In my opinion, good lighting equals security."

Mr Cooper, a grandfather, first emailed Basildon Council on 4 November 2017 and his inquiry was forwarded to the county council's highways department.

'Using torches'

He was told a month later that work was being planned but heard nothing further, before resuming correspondence again in 2021.

"In an area like that it just feels very unsafe," added Mr Cooper, speaking to BBC Essex, who said residents used their mobile phone torches to navigate at night.

The lights, owned by the county council, were supposed to remain switched on throughout the night.

The county council forecasted a net expenditure of £7.54m on street lighting in its 2022-23 budget.

Steve Cooper Laindon resident Steve Cooper's map annotating where faulty street lights were located — Steve Cooper sent Essex Highways a map annotating where the faulty street lights were located

A county council spokesman said it was not responsible for the lights because the land was being redeveloped, but added: "We will take back the maintenance... once the development has been completed and we are satisfied that the lights are up to standard."

Basildon Council, although not responsible for the lights either, said in its statement: "We will be visiting the site next week and are happy to meet Mr Cooper to help get the situation sorted."

Swan Housing, which provided social housing for the borough council and was developing the Five Links estate, said: "We can confirm we are responsible for the lights and would like to thank Mr Cooper for bringing this to our attention so we can arrange to have them fixed."