Several groups in Burnham-On-Sea face bills for thousands of pounds due to tough new regulations requiring them to test street lighting columns.
Tighter health and safety regulations have recently come into force that require lighting columns to be tested for their structural integrity.
Burnham and Highbridge Town Council admitted this week it is bracing itself for a big bill. Town Clerk Eileen Shaw warned councillors at a meeting on Tuesday (February 12th): “We could face a charge of more than £2,000 for testing the 46 lights along The Esplanade.”
Several other groups in Burnham which use lighting columns also face being charged for the testing work.
Burnham In Bloom, which hangs flower baskets from columns in the High Street, and the Chamber of Trade, which hangs Christmas lights on the columns, met County Council bosses earlier this week to discuss how to split up an additional £1,000 bill for testing 19 lighting columns in the town centre.
Burnham-On-Sea.com understands several lighting columns in Highbridge may have to be removed altogether since they were built in such a way that no longer meets the tough new policies.
The regulations are already causing frustration, with town councillor Eric Gill telling Tuesday’s council meeting: “It’s another example of health and safety regulations being inflicted on us. It’s an unnecessarly complicated and expensive situation.”
