Police have never raised any issues about crime connected to streetlights being switched off at night in the Maldon district.

Essex County Council introduced part-night lighting in Maldon and Uttlesford in early 2007, and has rolled it out elsewhere in the last several months.

Switching lights off between midnight and 5am, except in town centres, main road junctions and accident blackspots, has saved the council about £70,000 a year.

Essex Police said crime and anti-social behaviour has dropped.

The Standard asked Essex County Council how many requests had been made by the public, local authorities, councillors, police or other organisations since 2007 for part night lighting to be reviewed in any areas of the district.

But it said: “Our information recording systems have changed during that time, due to improved technology, and therefore we do not have an accurate record of this data.”

* Full story in Thursday's Standard.