LED street lighting
Sasha Rodoy made this Freedom of Information request to Barnet Borough Council Automatic anti-spam measures are in place for this older request. Please let us know if a further response is expected or if you are having trouble responding.
To Barnet Borough Council:
1. Since the installation of LED streetlights commenced in 2019, how many complaints have been made about these to date, for any reason?
2. How many complaints have been received about the brightness of the LEDs?
3. How many complaints have been received about the area around their residences being too dark?
4. How many columns have been fitted with shields in response to complaints, both temporary and permanent?
5. How many LEDs have been removed from columns after complaints?
6. If any, how many columns have had the lights switched off?
7. If any, how many columns have had an alternative lighting timer fitted?
8. Following complaints, have any columns had LED bulbs replaced with sodium or other?
Thank you
Sasha Rodoy
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Dear Sasha Rodoy
Freedom of Information Act 2000
Thank you for your request for information that was received on 30 October
2023
We will deal with your request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000
Under the Act we must respond promptly and in any event within 20 working
days from the date we received your request. We will respond to you by 27
November 2023
Please note the Act defines a limited set of exemptions from the right to
know. If we decide not to release any information we shall explain why,
which exemption we are relying on and how you can appeal.
Please note: If you receive a request from us for clarification of your
request please respond to it by the date given. We will not be able to
process your request if you do not provide the clarification asked for.
Yours faithfully
Cory Sunderland
London Borough of Barnet, 2 Bristol Avenue, Colindale, NW9 4EW
Barnet Online: [1]www.barnet.gov.uk
References
Visible links
1. http://www.barnet.gov.uk/
Dear Sasha Rodoy
Thank you for your request for information received on 30 October 2023.
Please find attached our response to your request.
If you reply to this email please do not amend the subject line or your
email will not go into the case and there will be a delay in it being
received by us.
Yours faithfully
Cory Sunderland
London Borough of Barnet, 2 Bristol Avenue, Colindale, NW9 4EW
Barnet Online: [1]www.barnet.gov.uk
References
Visible links
1. http://www.barnet.gov.uk/
Your response to my FOI:
‘The council holds the information requested and the answers to your questions are
below:
1. Since the installation of LED streetlights commenced in 2019, how many
complaints have been made about these to date, for any reason?
Response - Since 2018, a total of 368 complaints have been received with regards
to LED lanterns
2. How many complaints have been received about the brightness of the
LEDs?
Response - 301 with regards to Brightness
3. How many complaints have been received about the area around their
residences being too dark?
Response - 67 with regards to darkness
4. How many columns have been fitted with shields in response to complaints,
both temporary and permanent?
Response - 156
5. How many LEDs have been removed from columns after complaints?
Response - None
6. If any, how many columns have had the lights switched off?
Response - None
7. If any, how many columns have had an alternative lighting timer fitted?
Response - 7
8. Following complaints, have any columns had LED bulbs replaced with
sodium or other?
Response - None’
————-
Re your response to question 7:
1. What type of alternative lighting timers were fitted in 7 columns?
2. In which streets are the 7 columns located?
3. What were the reasons for fitting alternative timers?
4. Who requested alternative timers?
5. Who made the decision to fit alternative timers?
6. What was the cost per column for each timer?
Thank you
Sasha Rodoy
Dear Sasha Rodoy
Freedom of Information Act 2000
Thank you for your request for information that was received on 28
November 2023
We will deal with your request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000
Under the Act we must respond promptly and in any event within 20 working
days from the date we received your request. We will respond to you by 29
December 2023
Please note the Act defines a limited set of exemptions from the right to
know. If we decide not to release any information we shall explain why,
which exemption we are relying on and how you can appeal.
Please note: If you receive a request from us for clarification of your
request please respond to it by the date given. We will not be able to
process your request if you do not provide the clarification asked for.
Yours faithfully
Cory Sunderland
London Borough of Barnet, 2 Bristol Avenue, Colindale, NW9 4EW
Barnet Online: [1]www.barnet.gov.uk
References
Visible links
1. http://www.barnet.gov.uk/
Dear Sasha Rodoy
Thank you for your request for information received on 28 November 2023.
Please find attached our response to your request.
If you reply to this email please do not amend the subject line or your
email will not go into the case and there will be a delay in it being
received by us.
Yours faithfully
Cory Sunderland
London Borough of Barnet, 2 Bristol Avenue, Colindale, NW9 4EW
Barnet Online: [1]www.barnet.gov.uk
References
Visible links
1. http://www.barnet.gov.uk/
Dear Cory Sunderland,
Please see my additional questions below your responses.
‘1. What type of alternative lighting timers were fitted in 7 columns?
Response - There are no timers as such. All columns are connected to a Central
Management System (CMS), and this technology allows for lighting levels to be
adjusted remotely to ensure they meet design standards and are operating at the
correct times.
2. In which streets are the 7 columns located?
Response - Elm Way & Meadway have had additional dimming regimes introduced
through the CMS to reduce the lighting level to the next lowest standard from
midnight and until 5am in the morning.
3. What were the reasons for fitting alternative timers?
Response - As above these are not timers but a different dimming regime. The
reason to change regime were due to complaints and changes in the standards
since the LED conversion was implemented.
4. Who requested alternative timers?
Response - As above
5. Who made the decision to fit alternative timers?
Response - The central management system was incorporated into the new LED
lanterns to enable better control of the lighting infrastructure and to ensure that all
lighting installations were not wasting energy through over lighting our streets, which
occurs as a matter of course when a central management system is not deployed.
6. What was the cost per column for each timer?
Response - No cost as the CMS was already in place. There was however a small
cost involved in our Service Provider checking design compliance and setting up
new dimming profiles for each of the above streets.’
———————-
Re 2. (i) Given that complaints must include waking hours, why were additional dimming regimes not applied in these streets at all hours?
(ii) Why have dimming regimes not been applied in all streets in the borough?
Re 3. What are the changes in the standards since the LED conversion was implemented?
Re 6. (i) What was the ‘small cost’ to your Service Provider?
(ii) Was this Bouygues?
Thank you
Sasha Rodoy
Good morning,
Please see below response to your additional questions:
Re 2. (i) Given that complaints must include waking hours, why were
additional dimming regimes not applied in these streets at all hours?
We are assuming that you are referring to the fact that we are only
dimming within a specific time band (midnight to 5am) rather than across
all hours when the lights are operational.
The reason for this is to ensure compliance with lighting Codes of
Practice which defines the lighting levels that should be provided to
residential streets of certain classes. The Code of Practice recommends
suitable lighting levels to be provided based on vehicular and pedestrian
volumes which we deem to be higher up to midnight and from 5pm than in the
period from midnight to 5pm and hence the use of two different standards
for these two periods to ensure compliance.
(ii) Why have dimming regimes not been applied in all streets in the
borough?
We have instigated these additional dimming regimes following complaints
as a method to resolve the concerns raised, where the fitting of shields
has not fully resolved the complaint. However, we are now starting to
trial roads in borough in the new year reducing light levels by one level
from midnight to 5am, through the use of the dimming technology. Assuming
that we do not receive any adverse comments from residents an assessment
will be made as to whether this should be rolled out more widely across
the borough. The assessment will include a value for money consideration
when taking account of the costs of making a more substantial change in
comparison to any saving that may be derived from so doing. Such
assessment will also involve engagement with senior officers and the
Cabinet Member for Environment.
Re 3. What are the changes in the standards since the LED conversion was
implemented?
There have been many minor changes in the standards examples are changes
to allow alignment with EN3201 British Standards, alignment with CDM
regulations, using smart cities technology (dimming) to be able to lower
lighting levels by using technology, plus changes to SP ratios allowing
better use of lower colour temperatures.
Re 6. (i) What was the ‘small cost’ to your Service Provider?
(ii) Was this Bouygues?
Yes it is Bouygues via our Service Provider Barnet Lighting Services.
Costs are not disclosed as these are commercially sensitive. They are
minor and relate to time spent by a qualified lighting designer to
identify changes required to ensure compliance of instigating the dual
standards and also admin time to make changes to the Central Management
System (CMS) to ensure that the new dimming profiles are activated
correctly.
Regards
Cory Sunderland
Service Support Manager
Street Scene
London Borough of Barnet, Oakleigh Depot, Oakleigh Road South, London N11
1HJ
Tel: 020 8359 3014|Web: [1]barnet.gov.uk
[2]https://www.better.org.uk/fab-women-girl...
This email and any attachments to it are intended solely for the
individual to whom it is addressed. It may contain sensitive or
confidential material and should be handled accordingly. However, it is
recognised that, as an intended recipient of this email, you may wish to
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If you have received this email in error and you are not the intended
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Dear Sunderland, Cory (LBB),
Re ‘Re 6. (i) What was the ‘small cost’ to your Service Provider?
(ii) Was this Bouygues?
Yes it is Bouygues via our Service Provider Barnet Lighting Services.
Costs are not disclosed as these are commercially sensitive. They are
minor and relate to time spent by a qualified lighting designer to
identify changes required to ensure compliance of instigating the dual
standards and also admin time to make changes to the Central Management
System (CMS) to ensure that the new dimming profiles are activated
correctly.’
I do not accept your refusal to disclose these costs: this information, and all council spending, should be transparent and publicly available.
Please reconsider.
Thank you
Sasha Rodoy
Dear Sasha Rodoy,
As yet we have not received the request for payment from our Service Provider Barnet Lighting Services, so we are unable to identify the costs at this stage as this information is not yet available.
Regards
Paul Bragg
Head of Network and Infrastructure - Street Scene Customer and Place London Borough of Barnet, 2 Bristol Avenue, Colindale, NW9 4EW
Tel: 020 8359 7305| Web: barnet.gov.uk
Fao Paul Bragg:
1. Please confirm that the costs will be disclosed via this link when payment request is received?
2. Is it not normal procedure for costs to be discussed before work is carried out?
Thank you
Sasha Rodoy
Dear Sunderland, Cory (LBB),
Please note that your response to my question dated 11 January 2024 is overdue.
Thank you
Sasha Rodoy
Morning,
It is not overdue as we do not hold the information yet.
Regards
Cory Sunderland
Service Support Manager
Street Scene
London Borough of Barnet, Oakleigh Depot, Oakleigh Road South, London N11 1HJ
Tel: 020 8359 3014|Web: barnet.gov.uk
Dear Sunderland, Cory (LBB),
With respect, your response IS overdue.
To remind you, my unanswered questions were:
1. Please confirm that the costs will be disclosed via this link when payment request is received?
2. Is it not normal procedure for costs to be discussed before work is carried out?
Thank you
Sasha Rodoy
Good Morning,
Please see below response:
1. Please confirm that the costs will be disclosed via this link when payment request is received?
Response - I cannot confirm that it will be disclosed via this link, as we do not currently hold this information. You can put in a further request in a couple of months and we will supply the information if we hold it at that time.
2. Is it not normal procedure for costs to be discussed before work is carried out?
Response - Yes, it is normal procedure when it is anticipated that costs will be high. In this case we needed to obtain the requested information in order to respond to a complaint and we had been given verbally an indication of the likely costs for our contractor lighting designer to consider and provide us with requested information, which was considered a reasonable sum for the work involved.
Regards
Cory Sunderland
Service Support Manager
Street Scene
London Borough of Barnet, Oakleigh Depot, Oakleigh Road South, London N11 1HJ
Tel: 020 8359 3014|Web: barnet.gov.uk
Dear Sunderland, Cory (LBB),
‘Response - I cannot confirm that it will be disclosed via this link, as we do not currently hold this information. You can put in a further request in a couple of months and we will supply the information if we hold it at that time.’
This is too vague, and I don’t accept that suppliers take this long to provide invoices!
Please be more specific about date.
Nor do I accept that I should have to make another FOI for information already requested.
Thank you
Sasha Rodoy
Message sent on 26 February , I repeat:
“Dear Sunderland, Cory (LBB),
‘Response - I cannot confirm that it will be disclosed via this link, as we do not currently hold this information. You can put in a further request in a couple of months and we will supply the information if we hold it at that time.’
This is too vague, and I don’t accept that suppliers take this long to provide invoices!
Please be more specific about date.
Nor do I accept that I should have to make another FOI for information already requested.
Thank you
Sasha Rodoy”
I look forward to the courtesy of your reply.
Dear Sasha Rodoy
Thank you for your request for a review received on 16 April 2024. I'm
sorry to hear that you are unhappy with the council's response to your
information request.
We will now conduct an internal review. The review will be independent
and impartial, will reconsider the merits of the case and will identify
any errors in the handling of your request.
We aim to complete internal reviews promptly and in any event within 20
working days from receipt of a complaint. In exceptional cases we may
take longer, but we will not exceed 40 working days. This is in line
with guidance issued by the Information Commissioner.
If, following our review, you are still unhappy with the way we have
applied the Act, you can appeal directly to the Information Commissioner
at: The Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane,
Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF (telephone: 08456 30 60 60 or 01625 54 57 45;
website: [1]https://ico.org.uk/). There is no charge for making an appeal.
Yours faithfully
Jon Hill
Transparency & Information Rights Lead
Records & Information Management
London Borough of Barnet, 2 Bristol Avenue, Colindale, NW9 4EW
Barnet Online: [2]www.barnet.gov.uk
References
Visible links
1. https://ico.org.uk/
2. http://www.barnet.gov.uk/
Re: 'Thank you for your request for a review received on 16 April 2024.'
You appear to have responded to the wrong FOI as I made no such request under this one!
Thank you
Sasha Rodoy
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sasha-rodoy-...
Thank you for your email to the council's Freedom of Information inbox.
Your request for information will be acknowledged shortly and responded to
within the statutory deadline.
This email and any attachments to it are intended solely for the
individual to whom it is addressed. It may contain sensitive or
confidential material and should be handled accordingly. However, it is
recognised that, as an intended recipient of this email, you may wish to
share it with those who have a legitimate interest in the contents.
If you have received this email in error and you are not the intended
recipient you must not disclose, distribute, copy or print any of the
information contained or attached within it, all copies must be deleted
from your system. Please notify the sender immediately.
Whilst we take reasonable steps to identify software viruses, any
attachments to this email may contain viruses which our anti-virus
software has failed to identify. No liability can be accepted, and you
should therefore carry out your own anti-virus checks before opening any
documents.
Please note: Information contained in this e-mail may be subject to public
disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 or the Environmental
Information Regulations 2004.
This message has been scanned by Exchange Online Protection.
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