A countywide petition calling for street lights to be reinstated immediately has secured more than 11,000 signatures and has sparked a full council debate.

Leading campaigner Tina Brooker, of The Warren, Gravesend, will now have the opportunity to address Kent County Council on Thursday, March 26.

Miss Brooker worked tirelessly to garner support for her Right to Light petition, which called for street lights to be reinstated while more detailed consultation together with detailed risk assessments aided by professional bodies were carried out.

A total of 10,000 signatures were needed to trigger a full debate.

KCC’s campaign advertising its Safe and Sensible lighting initiative attracted responses from just 526 of the county’s 1.5 million residents.

Miss Brooker has always maintained that KCC’s consultation process was flawed, while the Messenger exclusively revealed that Kent Police had stated they could not support the switch-off scheme.

Legal secretary Miss Brooker will now be given five minutes to speak to councillors about the controversial issue.

She said: “I am very happy to announce that this ‘people’s petition’ secured 11,065 signatures.

“Following my speech, councillors will have 45 minutes to debate the issue before a vote is taken on whether to pass the motion or not.”

The petition’s success came just days after it was announced that the man responsible for overseeing the scheme, cabinet member for highways and transport Cllr David Brazier (Con), had resigned from the role.

Miss Brooker said she was shocked to hear of the politician’s departure.

“This is obviously not the outcome any of us would have wished for,” she said.

“All we have ever asked for is our streetlights back.

“But clearly, the introduction of this policy has been a shambles from start to finish and is deeply unpopular with the majority of people.

“I believe that if the correct processes and procedures had been carried out initially, including a proper consultation, then this policy would not have been adopted.”

About 70,000 of the county’s 120,000 street lights were switched off between midnight and 6.30am.

The aim was to save KCC £1 million, as well as cut down on carbon emissions and pollution levels, although it has since been revealed the initiative cost up to £4 million to implement.

KCC also performed a U-turn in January, when it announced all-night street lighting would return to residential roads with the investment of £40 million in the introduction of a centrally controlled LED lighting system with the aid of a government interest-free loan.

“The part-night lighting policy was discussed and agreed by councillors in 2010, when the cost of LED technology was prohibitive,” added Miss Brooker.

“As it became more affordable over the years and funding was put in place by government for green initiatives, KCC should have revisited this.

“To switch off our street lights should never have been an option.”

The full council debate will take place at Sessions House in Maidstone, although the time has yet to be confirmed.

It can be viewed from the public gallery or via the KCC website.