Council to teach staff how to switch off the lights after energy row
A COUNCIL has said its staff will receive “training” after lights in one of its buildings were left on during the night.
Cornwall county council has apologised after a member of the public complained that one of its buildings was lit up “like a Christmas tree” during an energy crisis.
A dog walker discovered a fully illuminated council office building at the Chy Trevail centre in Bodmin, which has more than 600 staff. The person who saw the building lit up with screens left on at 9.30pm said yesterday: “I was out dog -walking last night at Chy Trevail in Bodmin and I noticed the place lit up like a Christmas tree.
“How can the council justify leaving all the lights and TVS on? We’re constantly told there is an energy crisis.
“They put our council tax up. For what reason? Because they have forgotten to employ staff that are qualified to use a light switch?”
There were complaints about the same issue in 2018 and there were complaints again last summer when Lys Kernow, previously known as New County Hall, in Truro, was pictured with all the lights on past midnight, both inside and outside.
A council spokesperson admitted the latest incident was an error and said staff would receive training to ensure the lights were switched off.
The spokesperson said: “Following an investigation, we can confirm the atrium lights at Chy Trevail were left switched on accidentally on this ‘They put our council tax up for what? Because they forgot to employ staff who can use a light switch’ occasion. Training will be given to ensure this is an isolated incident.
“Cornwall council is committed to reducing its energy use and has taken many steps to do so, including the installation of solar panels at both County Hall in Truro and at Chy Trevail.
A new lighting control system has also been installed in Truro to ensure the amount of time lights are left switched on is minimised.”
Chy Trevail includes a central atrium for the main reception and public facilities, as well as open-plan, flexible work-spaces over three floors.
The building has “a highly energy efficient design, driven by a challenging DEC rating, and incorporates 200kw photovoltaics to generate on-site renewable energy, low energy LED lighting, improved insulation, airtightness and measures to reduce water consumption”.
Cornwall council has previously declared a climate emergency and hopes to be carbon-neutral by 2030.
It has invested in LED lighting at Lys Kernow and uses renewably-sourced energy to power the building, including solar energy from panels on the roof.
This incident is not the first time councils have been accused of leaving their lights on. Leicester and Milton Keynes city councils have contested similar complaints.