Oxfordshire’s controversial “lights off” plan faces revisions and public consultation after backlash over safety concerns, pushing the council to reassess.
Matthew Barber started a petition against the plan. He is the police commissioner. It got over 1,600 signatures quickly. The council then changed its approach. Dr. Pete Sudbury apologized for how they presented it.
He is in charge of climate change for the council. The council delayed the “dark skies” plan. Now it is called “part-night lighting”. They will review the revised plan soon. The Place Overview Committee will give feedback.
The council said they learned from the backlash. They will now consider everyone’s opinions. They will map out the next steps carefully. The new plan has two consultation phases.
First, they will listen to concerns. Next, they will hold a formal public consultation. People criticized the original impact assessment. It said the plan would affect no one.
Susan Brown opposed the initial plan. She leads Oxford City Council. Lubna Arshad was also very concerned. She handles safety for Oxford. Understanding risk is key to the new plan.
They will seek views during engagement now. Data analysis will help identify issues. Part-night lighting needs local request first. Then approval is needed after consultation.
The feedback process focuses on at-risk people. The council wants to understand potential impacts. They recognize safety concerns for vulnerable residents. The original assessment missed these needs.
The council acknowledges safety risks. They are working with stakeholders. Officers are reviewing available data now. The Cabinet should confirm the policy in July.
