The report of the Interim Strategic Director, Place (Document “AI”)  has been produced to provide Members with a progress report of the Smart Street Lighting Project to date. It will also explain some of the processes and activities to come and provide details of the significant benefits expected to be realised to the District as a result of this project. 

Recommended –

1)            That Members acknowledge the progress of the Smart Street Lighting project and welcome annual updates.

2)            That Members endorse the project as a positive investment across the Bradford District bringing significant benefits overall.

(Allun Preece – 01274 434019)

The report of the Interim Strategic Director, Place (Document “AI”) was presented to the Committee to provide Members with a progress report on the Smart Street Lighting Project.  The report also contained an explanation of some of the processes and activities still to be completed and the positive and significant benefits that the project would produce. 

Members were provided with Ward specific data to help them evaluate the benefit to their local areas.

The main aim of the project was to significantly reduce energy usage, maintenance costs and a reduction in the district’s carbon output.  The majority of the work would be carried out by an external contractor who would be carrying out surveys of all the existing street lighting assets within the District. Surveys would also assist the Council in identifying upgrade works to lighting assets.

The delivery contractor had also pledged to fulfil a number of targets which had social value (e.g. apprenticeships, local suppliers and Duke of Edinburgh enrolment for employees under 23 years and 6 months of age).  These would contribute benefits in the region of £3.8M.

It was intended to set up a webpage and designated email address for enquiries.  Lantern by lantern energy savings would be available to view and would also enable regular reporting of energy savings and carbon usage reductions.

Officers advised that 42,000 assets had been surveyed and work on instalments was due to start in April 2021.  Cut downs would be addressed in the meantime if lighting was compromised.

Members were then given the opportunity to make comments and ask questions, the details of which and the responses given are as below:

A Member asked whether there was a contract in place in the event of power supply issues and was advised that there was a contract in place with Amey.

Officers were asked about the rationale behind the installation schedule and advised that the delivery was down to the contractor who would install as they saw fit to but that they were contracted to deliver the whole project with associated risks staying with them.

A Member asked whether there would be more maintenance required for the new style lamps and was advised that those replaced in the interim were a hybrid design as old style lamps were no longer available.  These were a LED replacement and not full luminair.

A Member asked about the cut downs in Baildon and whether these would be replaced with new installations.  Officers advised that these would be replaced ahead of the new project if there were multiple units in the same vicinity, a solution was being worked on prior to the scheduled new replacements being installed.  Officers further stated that they were open to adding specific problem areas to a priority list.

A Member asked whether there were plans to switch lights off or dim them down to save money and was advised by Officers that the new units could be controlled individually and could be controlled and managed dynamically.

A member asked if internal teams instructed to do immediate cut downs and was advised that they were carrying out column repairs and Amey would be re-installing.  Any urgent matters were being passed onto Amey.

A Member asked out of scope assets such as heritage assets and was advised by Officers that these had been taken out of the project.

Resolved –

1)            That Members acknowledge the progress of the Smart Street Lighting project and welcome annual updates.

2)            That Members endorse the project as a positive investment across the Bradford District bringing significant benefits overall.

Action: Interim Strategic Director, Place