COUNCILLORS will decide whether to stand by their decision to switch off street lights in Blaenau Gwent following opposition from more than 8,500 residents.

Blaenau Gwent council's executive committee may vote to reverse its decision to switch off more than 6,000 street lights between midnight and dawn at its meeting on Wednesday.

Other options members will consider include switching the lights on at 5.30am in time for the morning traffic, keeping every other light on in residential areas, switching off at 1am, permanently switching off rear lane lights and sticking with the existing policy.

The current switch-off saves £180,000 a year and some of the other options would save significantly less, so thousands of pounds would have to be found by cutting other services, a report to the executive committee says.

The switch-off, which started in May, affects hundreds of streets and almost half of the county borough's lights.

Residents say they feel intimidated going out in the dark, fear crime will rise and worry they will injure themselves.

Petitions demanding the lights are turned back on, with more than 8,500 signatures, were taken to the council’s offices in Ebbw Vale last week.

They included 5,500 names on a petition organised by Nicola Williams from Cwm, 2,500 from a Facebook campaign and 600 on a Labour petition in Abertillery.

A council spokeswoman said the authority was forced to make the "tough decision" following a low settlement from the Assembly.

"Under normal circumstances we would consider many of these decisions to be totally unacceptable."

The executive is recommended to consider all the options and direct council officers accordingly.