A Deal resident has confronted the town council, demanding to know if action is being taken to help get street lights turned back on.

Lee Kettlewell, of St Leonard’s Road, quoted Section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 when he addressed the full council at its monthly meeting on Monday last week, saying that as an authority it had a duty to consider the crime and disorder implications.

Mr Kettlewell asked: “What’s the view of the council on turning off street lights?

“What are the council going to do about it?”

Mayor Deryck Murray responded: “For the present, the matter is in the hands of Kent County Council.”

In keeping with council policy, the authority did not discuss the issue further because it was not an item on the agenda.

Mr Kettlewell said he asked the question of the council after he and his wife, Trish Hampton, helped a woman in considerable distress.

He told the Mercury: “My concerns regarding the absence of street lighting are based on a very worrying incident.

“While walking home in the early hours from the train station last autumn, my wife and I happened upon a young woman who had collapsed in the street near to where we live.

“We managed to get her safely home.

“It became clear that she was suffering the after-effects of a few too many drinks.

“We were anxious to make sure she was cared for properly rather than just leaving her in the street at the mercy of the elements and easy prey for possible crime.”

The incident happened when there was street lighting throughout the night, which helped them identify the woman.

“We were anxious to make sure she was cared for properly rather than just leaving her in the street at the mercy of the elements and easy prey for possible crime.” - Mr Kettlewell.

Mr Kettlewell has written to the town clerk, Lorna Crow, formally raising his question to the council as he feels it was not successfully resolved at the meeting.

He said: “I believe the people of Deal deserve better and hope that the decision to switch off the street lights will be reversed.

“The current situation means that apart from inconvenience, there is a very real chance of accidents involving pedestrians as well as vehicles, falls and collisions, which may result in injuries as well as crime and disorder.”

Deal Town Council said it is very aware and concerned of the possible impacts to the KCC switch-off scheme and has been since the trial started. It is awaiting a report from Kent Police to see if there has been in increase in crime as a result.