Re: Street lighting for free!!

Yes, they were turning alternate ones off here to start with.

Re: Street lighting for free!!

Thank you Meg. Guess I just misunderstood Doc. One could argue that the cost of most of the 'public' lighting or other electricity charges, recouped in Council Taxes, is important for safety, for the security of public property or the provision of public services.
If Electricity Companies waived those very substantial costs to councils, you could bet that they would massively increase the charges to individual domestic consumers to offset that loss of revenue.

And one could argue that they would be justified in doing so.

Re: Street lighting for free!!

There is no direct charge to individual people for street lighting but we all pay for it via Council Tax. I take it Doc means it's the bill charged to the councils for street lighting that should be waived.

Even if the power used by lighting isn't metered in isolation, councils and electricity companies will be able to fairly accurately work out what power is used by street lighting.

It's all a bit academic though because street lighting won't be ever be free. As said, if it was, profits lost would be recouped elsewhere and we'd end up paying one way or another.

Re: Street lighting for free!!

Absolutely Mart, swings and roundabouts. If we paid less in council tax because the power companies waived the charges we would no doubt pay more in our electricity bills to maintain their profit margins .