At least 30 street lights are scheduled to be removed in Soham as part of a county-wide initiative to upgrade lights in Cambridgeshire.

But Soham Town Council is offering residents the opportunity to save individual columns and are asking people to make a case in time for next month’s meeting.

Cambridgeshire County Council has worked with Balfour Beatty since 2011 to upgrade the county’s streetlights to the latest LED technology and at the same time cut the number by around 10 per cent.

The loss of 30 out of Soham’s current 710 equates to a four per cent cut.

The work to upgrade Soham’s lighting started this month. Residents may keep updated by following http://www.lightingcambridgeshire.com.

Currently 58 street lights are owned, maintained and paid for by the town council and these will be unaffected by the county’s changes.

Anyone who feels a specific light scheduled to be lost under the county’s work can ask to have it put on the town council’s register by contacting the clerk and stating the reasons for its retention.

Requests will be considered by the council at its September 14 meeting.

Part of the county’s changes includes night-time lighting alterations which will affect all residents.

Soham Town Council will also consider whether to keep the lights on in the town throughout the night. To retain night lighting will cost the town council around £8,213 per year, which will would be added to the council’s precept.