Mearns Conservative Cllr George Carr has completed his survey regarding the Lights Out pilot in Auchenblae which was instigated by Aberdeenshire Council in 2011.
Each household in the village was issued with an individual ballot paper, and a ballot box was installed in the village shop for 2 weeks. Residents were simply asked if they wished the Lights Out pilot to continue or to restore street lighting which currently switches off between the hours of midnight and 6am.
With the support of Shirley Castles from Mearns Community Council and Kate Matthews from the Community Association, they verified the votes and agreed that 53% of all households had participated in the ballot.
From those who had voted, 76% requested that street lighting be restored and 24% were happy for them to remain off.
Cllr Carr said that “ We made this ballot as fair as possible and it was well advertised throughout the village as well as on social media sites. Since the Council surveyed the village back in November 2012, it appears to indicate a significant change in those wishing to see their street lights restored throughout the hours of darkness. The flooding last year and some reported anti-social behaviour have all had an effect on local opinion.
I will report these findings to fellow Cllrs and Officers for further discussion, but from these results it suggests there is a clear indication that residents wish to see the pilot come to an end and their street lighting restored.”