Basildon Council have agreed to a scheme to switch the borough's streetlights back on throughout the night.

At Basildon Council's Policy and Resources Committee meeting last night, councillors agreed to enter into an agreement with Essex County Council to restore all night lighting and pay £146,000 to cover the cost from October 31.

Initially, the lights were first turned off between midnight and 5am, which was later altered to be turned off from 1am.

Moving forward, further funding is set to be agreed to sustain full-night lighting to March 2020.

The full year cost for the borough is currently £275,000 a year, but this cost should come down by as much as 40 per cent once the borough’s lights are upgraded to more cost-effective and efficient LED lights- work that is scheduled to done by Essex County Council in 2020/21.

Council leader Gavin Callaghan tweeted after the decision: "I'm pleased that tonight Basildon Council’s Policy & Resources committee unanimously agreed to turn the streetlights back on.

"We are working with County Colleagues to now finalise the agreement and press the switch!"

Councillor Kevin Blake, who represents the Burstead ward, said: “This is a common sense step to improve community safety.

"As councillors, we talk to residents regularly whose number one concern is feeling safer in their own neighbourhoods and they want these lights back on.

"Plenty of residents work shifts and need to be out and about between 1am and 5am and they deserve the protection that street lighting can help provide.”