The decision was taken by Powys County Council's board as it followed up on its budget commitment to save £50,000 on street lighting.

Core areas that will remain fully covered are described as: Traffic signal covered pedestrian crossings and zebra crossings; streets covered by public CCTV; areas where there is factual evidence of anti-social behaviour, and where police have taken action to prevent anti-social behaviour using Anti Social Behaviour Orders; streets with traffic calming provisions; lights adjacent to hospitals, medical centres and surgeries with 24 hour services.

Originally the council had proposed to switch off one in two lights in 'non-core areas', however, rising energy costs and a delay in implementing the proposal meant that £43,000 or the required £50,000 saving would have been lost if it went ahead as originally planned.

Instead, to insure the targeted savings are made the council voted to switch off 67 percent of lights in 'non-core areas'.

Councillor Gwilym Evans, portfolio holder for highways and transport policy, told the board: "If we go for the two out of three proposal we will meet our budget, otherwise we will have a loss of £43,000."

He added that if they put off the decision now then it would cause problems when the next budget come around.

Jeremy Pattison, council executive director for organisation and regeneration, said public fears that switching lights off would cause an increase in crime were unfounded.

He said: "Powys has one of the lowest crime rates in the country and it is about fear rather than crime. It's a perceived fear that is not there."

However Cllr Gwilym Evans said that if any problems arise concerning crime then the area will be looked at.

He said: "We will be working very closely with the police and if there is a problem then we will deal with it accordingly."