Resident fumes over street lamp that has been burning day and night for a YEAR in Milton Keynes

Phil Dunk has reported faulty lamp number three, situated in Runnymede on Giffard Park, to MK Council on "numerous" occasions.

He has even written to his MP about the number of faulty lights in Milton Keynes.

Many of Phil's complaints have been about lamps that do not switch off and burn all day as well as all night,

"One in particular, light number 3 in Runnymede, was first reported last September. But it remains on," he said.

In a letter, the council told him it would be done by October once the tree around it had been trimmed. The tree was duly trimmed - but the light is still on.

Phil is concerned that the failure to repair such lamps results in a waste of tax-payers' money as well a general waste of electricity.

"A check on the internet suggests street lights cost 30p per night to run," he said. "Working on the night being eight hours, the rest of the day is costing 60p.

"The street light referred to has wasted 356 days @ 60p per day. That's £213.60 ...This should be deducted from the lighting teams salaries as a reverse bonus."

He believes there could be dozens of other lights similarly burning 24 hours a day in MK.

MK Council has more than 58,000 street lights in MK. Its highways department and its service provider Ringway provide street lighting services in accordance with national guidance and a local Code of Practice.

This Code promises to check all street lights on grid roads at monthly intervals and carry out three monthly checks on those on redways and underpasses.

It aims to provide a 24 hr service will be provided, attend to emergencies within two to 24 hrs, and repair a 'light out' within seven days of reporting, or 28 days if it is on a gird road.

The Code states: "Lights on during the day are not a safety issue. The council will prioritise these reports as a 'Planned Job' and will collate these reports then, when they have a programme, they will carry out repairs. This will typically be every two to three months. Day-burning lamps make up less than five per cent of faults repaired."

Three years ago the council announced it had reduced its carbon footprint and saved energy by changing street lights to LEDs, which are expected to last up to 22 years.

The Citizen asked MK Council when the light would be repaired.

A spokesman said: "When vegetation prevents us from accessing a street light to repair it, we ask our landscaping team to cut it back. Once that is confirmed the repair will be carried out by our service provider, Ringway.

"Giffard Park is scheduled in next as part of our ongoing LED conversion programme. The light on Runnymede will be included in this.

"We have over 58,000 street lights to maintain and Ringway aim to fix 100% of all faults reported to us. They are currently hitting 96% of all reported faults being repaired."