THOUSANDS of streetlights across Caerphilly county borough will be converted to LED to save the local authority almost £940,000.

The move could cut CO2 emissions by more than 2,800 tonnes and provide “sustainability” for the council, according to the deputy leader.

Caerphilly council is hoping to cut costs after being hit with an energy price hike of 13.4 per cent – equating to £165,000 – this year.

The scheme was unanimously approved by cabinet members on Wednesday.

More than 11,000 streetlights in the borough are already fitted with LED bulbs but the new plans will see a further 16,000 converted.

Streetlights along roads connecting towns and villages are already switched off by the council between midnight and 5am.

But the part-night lighting scheme will now be rolled out to all residential areas except junctions and the town centres of Bargoed, Blackwood, Caerphilly, Risca and Ystrad Mynach.

The work is expected to cost around £4.5 million with a payback period of up to seven years, although the council has applied for funding from Salix.

Marcus Lloyd, head of infrastructure, told cabinet members on Wednesday that the firm had expressed an intent to offer funding subject to the scheme’s approval.

Deputy leader Sean Morgan said: “I believe the savings puts the council on a long-term sustainable footing with very little impact on the public. In fact, I think it’s what the public wants.”

Cabinet members had been asked to choose from several energy-saving options, one of which was to permanently switch off all lights except at junctions and in town centres.

This would have saved the council £925,105 but there were concerns that the proposal would create an “increased fear of crime” amongst vulnerable people.