Kent County Council has voted AGAINST switching street lights back on with immediate effect.

The issue was debated today following an online petition signed by 11,000 concerned residents whose streets had been plunged into darkness overnight.

The number which signed was in stark contrast to the 410 residents countywide who responded in support of KCC’s own public consultation into its Safe and Sensible initiative.

The woman who has campaigned tirelessly for almost a year against the street light switch-off across Kent confronted councillors during the meeting.

Tina Brooker, a 52-year-old legal secretary from The Warren, Gravesend, launched the petition on KCC's website.

Miss Brooker, who also garnered support from leading organisations such as the personal safety charity, the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, addressed members but her pleas were in vain.

She reacted angrily to members' decision not to immediately restore overnight lighting to all residential areas.

Instead, they voted in favour of a motion to establish criteria for deciding on a case by case basis whether all-night lighting should be returned to a particular place.

Speaking after the meeting at County Hall, Maidstone, Miss Brooker accused the council of "not listening" to its constituents.

"This is very disappointing and very upsetting. I was there today to try and get the councillors to listen. But they don't listen except to each other" - Tina Brooker

"This is very disappointing and very upsetting. I was there today to try and get the councillors to listen. But they don't listen except to each other.

"What they have decided today is nothing new. KCC always stated they would review each area so we are no further forward. They have brought in a motion that was exactly as it was from the very start.

"Surely they should just do what people want."

Cllr Mike Eddy (Lab), who represents Deal, put forward the amendment that lights be restored immediately.

Referring to a statement made by council chiefs in which it was said "a minority will be a little incovenienced" by the switch-off, Dr Eddy said the council had a duty to consider the rights and difficulties of that minority.

KCC switched off up to 70,000 of the county’s lights between midnight and 6.30am in many rural and residential roads to save money and cut carbon emissions.

However, Cllr Will Scobie (Lab), for Margate and Cliftonville, highlighted the fact the scheme would save £3 million over a three-year period but had cost £4 million to implement.

"We are looking at a scheme which has failed in its main aim because it hasn't saved money," he said.

"It is just a flawed policy. It's about time we turned it around...Have some courage to actually kill this scheme because it simply isn't working."

Speaking to Kent Online ahead of the meeting in Maidstone Miss Brooker said: “This campaign has never been political for me.

"It has been solely for the safety and well-being of the people and there is nothing more important than that. All the political parties should realise that.

“I feel quite humbled to be going to KCC representing thousands of voices when KCC based their decision to switch off street lights on just 410.

“It is clear cut. The overall majority want their lights on. How can KCC ignore that? This policy should never have been implemented.”

KCC switched off up to 70,000 of the county’s lights between midnight and 6.30am in many rural and residential roads to save money and cut carbon emissions.

The figure included 3,500 of Gravesham’s 8,000 street lights and 3,700 of Dartford borough’s 8,400 lights.

Kent Online's sister newspapers, the Gravesend Messenger and Dartford Messenger, launched their own Let There Be Light campaign in response.

They exclusively revealed that although police had been consulted about the scheme, the force told council chiefs it could not support it.

Miss Brooker began her fight after her disabled neighbour was forced to hide in a wardrobe for more than three hours as would-be intruders tried to break in to her bungalow within weeks of the scheme being implemented in the quiet cul-de-sac.

She repeatedly called on KCC to switch street lights back on while detailed consultations and assessments were carried out, including into the use of light-emitting diode (LED) technology.

Council chiefs repeatedly refused, but within weeks of the petition deadline in February they performed a dramatic u-turn and said it would be investing £40 million into an LED-system.

KCC said all overnight lighting would be restored but no time frame for the programme was revealed.

We will have more from the meeting later today.