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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Lights back on as carer pays up | Lights back on as carer pays up |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A carer has paid for street lights to be switched back on in the village where he lives. | A carer has paid for street lights to be switched back on in the village where he lives. |
| Powys council has turned off thousands of street lamps in the county in a bid to save money. | Powys council has turned off thousands of street lamps in the county in a bid to save money. |
| But Mike Atherton, a 60-year-old care worker from Llangynog, near Llanfyllin, said the switch-off was a "severe threat to public safety". | |
| Powys council said the lights would be turned back on on Tuesday evening. Mr Atherton said he was delighted. | Powys council said the lights would be turned back on on Tuesday evening. Mr Atherton said he was delighted. |
| Mr Atherton, who is originally from Birmingham, has paid £295 for 16 lights to be lit from Tuesday to next March. | Mr Atherton, who is originally from Birmingham, has paid £295 for 16 lights to be lit from Tuesday to next March. |
| However, he is not the first person to offer to spend his own money to illuminate his community at night. | However, he is not the first person to offer to spend his own money to illuminate his community at night. |
| 'Marvellous' | 'Marvellous' |
| Last month, Machynlleth councillor Michael Williams pledged a £350 increase in an allowance from Powys council to his town council to turn 14 lamps back on. | Last month, Machynlleth councillor Michael Williams pledged a £350 increase in an allowance from Powys council to his town council to turn 14 lamps back on. |
| Meanwhile, in October councillors in Llanfair Caereinion, near Welshpool, agreed to spend up to £3,000 to turn about 50 of them back on. | Meanwhile, in October councillors in Llanfair Caereinion, near Welshpool, agreed to spend up to £3,000 to turn about 50 of them back on. |
| Mr Atherton said: "I'm absolutely outraged that Powys has taken these steps. I feel angry the council has threatened the safety of vulnerable and elderly people." | Mr Atherton said: "I'm absolutely outraged that Powys has taken these steps. I feel angry the council has threatened the safety of vulnerable and elderly people." |
| But he said he had received a "marvellous" response from villagers for his good turn. | But he said he had received a "marvellous" response from villagers for his good turn. |
| "I was told by Powys that they wouldn't accept payment from individuals, so I decided to pay the local community council and it asked for the return of the lights," he added. | "I was told by Powys that they wouldn't accept payment from individuals, so I decided to pay the local community council and it asked for the return of the lights," he added. |
| Mr Atherton, a railway pensioner who now is now a care worker for Crossroads Mid and West Wales, told Llangynog Community Council about his offer to fund the lighting at a meeting last month. | |
| Gwilym Tibbott, chairman of Llangynog Community Council, said Mr Atherton's "very generous offer" showed how communities came together to solve their problems. | Gwilym Tibbott, chairman of Llangynog Community Council, said Mr Atherton's "very generous offer" showed how communities came together to solve their problems. |
| Thousands of lights have been blacked out across Powys as part of the controversial cost-cutting policy, which is saving the council £225,000. | Thousands of lights have been blacked out across Powys as part of the controversial cost-cutting policy, which is saving the council £225,000. |
| The scheme has been criticised in communities throughout the county. | The scheme has been criticised in communities throughout the county. |