The Croydon & Lewisham Street Lighting Joint Committee is scheduled to meet on Tuesday, 4 November 2025. The meeting will cover the appointment of a chair and vice-chair, and an update on the Joint Street Lighting Private Finance Initiative (PFI). Councillors will also be asked to exclude the press and public from part of the meeting.

Joint Street Lighting PFI Update

The committee is scheduled to receive an update on the Joint Street Lighting PFI, which covers the period from September 2024 to August 2025. The report on the Joint Street Lighting PFI Update, prepared by the Corporate Director of Sustainable Communities, Regeneration and Economic Recovery (Croydon) and the Executive Director for Place (Lewisham), includes several recommendations for the committee to consider.

The committee will be asked to note the performance of the service provider and approve the proposed unitary charges¹ for 2025/6, which are £2.978m for Croydon and £1.675m for Lewisham, based on a 64% to 36% split. The committee will also be asked to approve the forecasted contract management and monitoring costs for 2025/6, which are £185,254 for Croydon and £104,205 for Lewisham, also based on a 64% to 36% split.

The report details the operational performance standards, including:

• Core Investment Programme (CIP): The service provider designed and installed new apparatus during the five-year Core Investment Programme, which was completed on 31 October 2016. The Croydon Public Lighting Network Cable has been de-energised and abandoned by UKPN.
• Planned Maintenance, Inspection and Testing: Routine scouting of all streetlights is undertaken, and performance is measured over a four-month period.
• Operational Responsiveness and Reactive Maintenance: This covers the operational responsiveness of the service provider to attend to faults within the relevant rectification period.
• Contract Management and Customer Interface: The service provider provides a customer care and contract management service, including the development, operation and maintenance of a Management Information System (MIS) and Customer Care System (CCS).
• Strategic Assistance and Reporting: The service provider provides relevant, accurate and timely information to the councils on its performance in relation to the services in Monthly Service Reports and Annual Service Reports.
• Working Practices: The Service Provider ensures it operates the day-to-day working practices correctly and safely in line with all generic Method Statements and Risk Assessments
• Reporting to the Authority: The service provider provides accurate and complete reporting to the Councils on how the service provider is complying with the requirements of the Output Specification.
• Central Management System: Both councils opted for a Central Management System (CMS) to be installed to all streetlights as part of a mandatory variant solution .

The report also provides data on carbon emissions from street lighting in both boroughs. In Croydon, emissions have decreased from 4,404 tonnes of CO2 in 2016/17 to 1,553 tonnes in 2024/25. In Lewisham, emissions have decreased from 2,839 tonnes of CO2 in 2016/17 to 936 tonnes in 2024/2025.

The report notes that both Croydon and Lewisham have introduced variable lighting level policies², and that results show there is no major impact on residents and stakeholders as no complaints have been received. The report states that financial discussions have been held with both authorities in relation to the possible LED lantern replacements, with both authorities looking to proceed. The report states that the authorities are seeking to start installing the new LED lanterns in August 2026.

Other agenda items

The committee will also be asked to appoint a Chair and Vice-Chair for the 2025-2026 municipal year.

The minutes of the previous meeting, held on Tuesday 10th December 2024, are to be approved as an accurate record. At that meeting, Councillor Louise Krupski was appointed as Chair of the Committee and Councillor Scott Roche as Vice Chair. The committee is also scheduled to note the performance of the service provider in respect of the street lighting PFI for September 2023 - August 2024, and approve the proposed unitary charges for 2024/5 of £2.905m for Croydon and £1.634m for Lewisham.