Councils light the way in West Suffolk: All public owned streetlights upgraded to LED lanterns

04 Aug 2025

In a move towards sustainability and energy-efficiency, all council-owned streetlights in West Suffolk have now been converted to light-emitting diode (LED) lanterns.

West Suffolk Council have worked alongside parish and town councils to convert approximately 1,600 streetlights using the council’s one million pound Decarbonisation Initiatives Fund (DIF). The scheme’s objective was to rapidly complete the environmental upgrades of streetlights owned by town and parish councils, bringing them in-line with those owned by West Suffolk Council and Suffolk County Council. The majority of these streetlight conversions were carried out by Suffolk County Council on behalf of the local councils.

This latest upgrade brings the total number of council-owned LED streetlights in the West Suffolk area to approximately 20,000. This is expected to increase carbon dioxide (CO2) savings by around 50 tonnes per year, increasing annual savings in the West Suffolk area to 624 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually – the equivalent of removing about 138 cars from the road each year.

In addition to the environmental benefits, taxpayers will also see significant financial savings, with energy costs typically reduced by over 70 per cent. Based on current energy prices, the newly converted units alone are projected to save around £68,000 annually, adding to the total annual saving of approximately £680,000 that is already being achieved across previously converted Suffolk County Council and West Suffolk LED streetlights.

Among the local wards to benefit from the scheme is The Rows, where around 50 streetlights were converted.

Jane Spenser, Parish Clerk of Beck Row, Holywell Row, and Kenny Hill Parish Council, said: “We are pleased to have completed the LED lantern upgrade throughout the parish using the DIF grant offered by West Suffolk Council. The environmental benefits along with a reduction in energy use is reflected in our significantly decreased electricity charge for the year.”

Cllr Gerald Kelly, West Suffolk Cabinet Member for Governance, Regulatory and Environment, and Chair of the Suffolk Environmental Cabinet Members Group, said: “West Suffolk has led the way on partnership working on climate change, and our town and parish councils play a vital role in the provision of safely lit public spaces in West Suffolk.

“Recognising this, our DIF presented us with an excellent opportunity to help them rapidly speed up the upgrading of all council-owned streetlighting in West Suffolk.

“The LED technology improves energy efficiency and reduces maintenance requirements, ultimately contributing to a more sustainable and economically viable future for our local communities. This upgrade of the town and parish owned lights is an investment by West Suffolk Council that will benefit all residents and the environment for years to come.”

Cllr Paul West, Suffolk County Council Cabinet member for Operational Highways and Flooding, said: “I am thrilled that we have been able to assist in upgrading lighting to modern standards, supporting West Suffolk Council in delivering projects that align with local priorities and benefit our communities.

“These upgrades mean that the lighting in this part of Suffolk now matches the district and county council's street lighting units by utilising energy-saving LED technology. This is not only beneficial for the environment but also allows all partner councils to achieve similar cost savings for taxpayers that the county council have been enjoying for several years."

The remaining DIF funding will be put towards community initiatives and projects such as converting floodlights on sports fields to LED, solar and battery arrangements for community halls, and community transport schemes requiring capital investment to reduce the number of private car journeys.

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