Croydon Council is forecasting a £600,000 underspend in its street services, with a significant portion of this saving attributed to reduced street lighting costs and improved parking income.

The Period 8 Financial Performance Report, presented to the Scrutiny Streets & Environment Sub-Committee on March 23, 2026, indicated that the Sustainable Communities, Regeneration & Economic Recovery (SCRER) Directorate is on track to underspend by £600,000. Of this, £400,000 is directly related to street and environment services.

Savings in street lighting costs have been achieved through the transition to LED lanterns and extended periods of reduced lighting brightness. The report noted that the directorate is meeting its savings targets despite facing unexpected challenges. The transition to LED lanterns is ongoing, with a programme phasing the change across the borough planned for the next financial year, 2026-27. This transition has already resulted in a reduction in street lighting and electricity costs, and is expected to continue to positively impact costs in the long term, though specific projections for energy consumption and maintenance are not yet available.

Street lighting infrastructure
Street lighting infrastructureSource: Scrutiny Streets & Environment Sub-Committee papers, 23 March 2026

Street lighting brightness has been reduced by extending the periods during which lights operate at lower brightness levels. This measure is applied across all lights, rather than just selected areas, and is intended to reduce electricity costs. The exact duration of these extended periods was not specified beyond longer periods.

In addition to the street lighting savings, the report also highlighted a positive performance in parking income. The main stabilization plan for the directorate focused on parking, with an initial target of a £1 million increase. By Period 8, this target had been exceeded, standing at £1.3 million, indicating the plan is on track to meet its objectives.

Fly-tipping evidence
Fly-tipping evidenceSource: Scrutiny Streets & Environment Sub-Committee papers, 23 March 2026

The report, which can be viewed in full here, details the financial performance of various directorates within the council.

For more information on the Scrutiny Streets & Environment Sub-Committee meeting, the public reports pack is available here.

Environmental enforcement team
Environmental enforcement teamSource: Scrutiny Streets & Environment Sub-Committee papers, 23 March 2026