A PROPOSAL to lobby councils and businesses to follow in County Hall’s footsteps on streetlights has been branded “outrageous’’.

One of the recommendations of the county council’s scrutiny group is that the council’s cabinet should launch a “major’’ publicity campaign to persuade authorities, public services, and businesses to follow the council in turning out their lights.

It is not known whether that will mean lobbying them to encourage them to turn lights off over the same time period as the county council, or which councils will be targeted.

In Essex, there are two unitary authorities – Thurrock and Southend.

Byron Taylor, leader of Basildon Labour Party, said: “This is outrageous.

“Basildon residents know this has been a shoddy policy and to tell Southend and Thurrock to turn their lights off is disgraceful.”