After more than 35,000 streetlights were dimmed to cut costs, safety concerns have been raised.

Town hall chiefs decided to dim 37,000 of the borough’s 40,000 lights by 30 per cent between 9pm and dawn in April in a bid to save £450,000 a year.

The Labour-run council proposed the change in its 2024/25 budget which included £10m worth of cuts.

And the "dim and trim" decision was brought up at Bolton Town Hall’s full council meeting last Wednesday (November 27).

Cllr Paul Sanders, who represents Farnworth, said: “The Labour council’s decision to dim 37,000 streetlights by 30 per cent from 9pm until dawn has recently been implemented.

“But numerous complaints have been received from residents concerned with safety and visibility.

“Do you have a clear process for reporting areas where lighting might be inadequate?

“And is there a plan to review the impact of this cost-saving measure on community safety in the near future?”

In response, Cllr Richard Silvester, said: “The decision to dim streetlights to a 70 per cent illumination was a full council decision.

“But the administration did commit to reviewing any locations that have concerns with criminality or community safety concerns currently or ones that are emerging.

“Any concerns should be directed to the highways or engineering team via the highways or street care inboxes.

“Then officers can review the concerns, engage with key stakeholders and provide a response.”

A council spokesperson said: “The decision to dim some streetlights was taken as part of the council savings plan for 2024/2025.

“Streetlights have been dimmed in some areas since April, but this has been more evident since the clocks changed, and we now have darker evenings.

“Highways will risk assess locations where criminality or anti-social behaviour are raised.

“A lighting level of 70 per cent is sufficient for accessibility concerns.”

The council's streetlights are the local authority's largest electricity consuming asset.

The council has said not all locations would be dimmed and that areas with issues of community safety would remain lit at full illumination, with no dimming.