A council is planning to turn off street lights in an attempt to save money on electricity.

East Sussex County Council has said that they plan to reduce the number of street lights as well as dimming others between midnight and the early hours.

The local authority has arranged a number of consultations to gauge public opinion with the next set for May 12 at the Downs Leisure Centre, Seaford. A council spokeswoman said: “The extent of the savings we have to make over the next few years has been widely publicised and funding cuts of this scale mean we can’t carry on providing all our services in exactly the same way.

“We currently spend close to £1.4 million on electricity for our street lighting. Making these changes will help us save money by reducing our bill.

“It will also help us reduce our carbon emissions and protect the environment.”

If you cannot make the consultations have your say at: www.eastsussex.gov.uk/havey oursay.

Councillor Carl Maynard, cabinet member for Economy, Transport and Environment, said: “The pilot schemes in other areas seem to have been well-received and the local police say there has been no increase in incidents.”

More consultation dates are to be announced soon. Check for updates at: www.eastsussex.gov.uk.