STREET lights in Ashburton will not be switched off without prior consultation, town councillors were promised recently.

Devon County Cllr Stuart Barker reassured members alarmed by press reports that the town will be among 29 in Devon which will see some street lights in residential areas switched off between 12.30am and 5.30am, to cut carbon emissions and save money.

At last Tuesday's council meeting, Cllr Donald Distin asked why the council had not been consulted and what areas would have its street lights extinguished.

He was reminded that in fact the town council had had a visit from the county's area south lighting engineer in January 2008 and was one of the few to have had a demonstration, although, since it was that councillor's very first meeting as a newly sworn-in councillor, perhaps it had slipped his mind.

At that meeting, Les Pym explained that the town's street lights would be changed over from the traditional orange sodium lamps to low energy white lights, saving 21 tonnes of carbon a year and slicing £2,600 off the energy bill.

Mr Pym also told members that switching some lights off altogether would produce more savings. But having spoken to police, he said he would not recommend this in Ashburton's case.

There must have be a change of heart as now Ashburton is being included along with Buckfastleigh, Bovey Tracey, Chudleigh, Kingsteignton and Chagford in the county's list of small towns to take part in the switch-off, which is expected to be expanded to other areas.

Cllr Barker told members that police had been consulted and that areas considered vulnerable would not be included.

'You will be consulted before any lights are turned off,' he said.