A VILLAGE council is to increase its street lighting budget to £5,000.

The rising costs of repairing, replacing and running the street lamps in the villages of Powick and Callow End was discussed at a meeting of Powick Parish Council on Wednesday, April 4.

Clerk to the council Michelle Phillips said: "We are looking to increase our current contribution so that we cover more in terms of renewal costs.

"We do actually have a contingency in the budget but it was thought that we should up the contribution as a whole."

The council also voiced concern that because the street lamps are light-sensitive - which is how they turn on at dusk and off at dawn - rather than manually controlled, money is being wasted.

"I'm just worried about our carbon footprint," said council member John Kirton.

"We don't want a black out, but it seems strange if you come back really late, there's not a soul about, and all the lights are on."

Eventually the budget for the street lighting, which is actually run through Worcester County Council, was upped from £4,500 to £5,000.