To save money, the council is trying to do without thousands of lights at night, so off they go. Powys hasn't been so dark since the Blitz! It's "dark sky heaven" for astronomers, but not so great for everyone else.

While I applaud their creative thinking and environmental outlook, it is causing some problems. As communities get plunged into darkness, fear of crime increases. We're lucky to have a relatively low crime rate round here, but the fear itself is a negative factor, because it preys on people's minds.

Many vulnerable and elderly people are too scared to venture out into the gloom now, and that's a practical consequence of the lights-off policy.

Also, there's genuine concern about the danger of wondering about in unlit streets from a safety perspective. Even with a torch it's harder to walk the dog or put out the rubbish. There are trip hazards, road hazards and a host of other things you could bump into or step onto to ruin your day.

The council points out that it's desperate to save money and that this can save hundreds of thousands of pounds. They've also indicated that they're willing to take another look at the lights out plan with local residents. If this happens it's a very important step forward.

Personally, I wonder if there's a creative solution to all this – a technological one perhaps. For example, what about using much lower wattage bulbs for a start? And how about timers which switch off after midnight, or at times when people tend not to be walking about? Also, there's the prospect of using light sensitive switches, so the lights come on when it gets dark, and change according to the season.

What's for sure is that the wholesale removal of fuses from streetlamps seems a bit untargeted. When I was going round some villages recently, residents themselves pointed out the lamps they thought were necessary, and which ones they could do without. This would be the best way to proceed.

There are two more general points. Councils ARE hard up for cash, and this is a serious and growing issue. Also, environmentally, eventually we WILL run out of fossil fuels. Then the lights WILL go out all over Britain.

So, while I think there's a better way to sort the streetlights issue just now, there's a great need for us to sort out our energy problems long term… and sustainably. If we don't, then we'll all be sitting in the dark before too long.