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Need advice on complaining to Council over light: what are my rights?

Hope

 

On another thread, I started a discussion called 'light trespass'. The situation has still not been resolved, despite shields being fitted. I was told the lights would switch off at midnight - they did not; it was 1am when they were switched off. I go to bed at 11pm, at the latest, and can't get to sleep until the lights are switched off. I have black out blinds, curtains, and black out lining, but they don't work with these new super tall, fluorescent lights. I have complained by phone to the council, but got a shoddy response. I have written a letter to the Chief Executive of the Council, and wait her response, and I have written to my MP for an appointment.

What can I do in the meantime? I am suffering from sleep deprivation and stress; I can't block the light out, just like I can't block noise out. I think this is caused by my Aspergers, but it does not affect me quite so much in the day - perhaps because I can distract myself. I also have chronic anxiety, which is worse under stress.

Are they breaking the law with regard to indirect disability discrimination by not taking into account sensory disturbances? Why do we need lights on until 1am? What are 'normal' people doing at that time? It seems we have 24/7 noise, 24/7 light - an Orwellian nightmare, my room turned into a torture chamber.

The council have subcontracted their lighting to SSE contracting, and I don't know who is responsible for what!. A bureaucratic quagmire of faceless mandarins in a corrupt system.

I welcome your advice.

Parents

  • Is there a local NAS group or a parents group or some other qualified individual who could look into this on your behalf and provide advocacy? A local NAS group might already know the right officials to talk to. Or if your local councillor is the sort who would be sympathetic, they might be able to help.

    For things like this it is incredibly difficult for an individual acting on their own account. Councils are mostly staffed by career civil servants. Gone are the days when they were local and had family ties with an area. They'll do four or five or maybe as much as ten years with your local authority and move on. And consequently there's no mileage for them being helpful to individuals especially if they might lose brownie points towards their next promotion to a better job in a bigger council.

    Getting things done is thus extraordinarily hard, as the whole system conspires to avoid detail - its all broad sweep decision making. As I mentioned above anything sub-contracted is even more complex. You'll just see walls springing up (metaphor similar to "closing ranks" - in other words they'll put up barriers). Elected councillors who try to fight through issues often find the civil servants will neutralise them by putting every obstacle in their way.

    Its like "Yes Primeminister" the comedy series, but a hundred times worse. You cannot sack the senior ones, however incompetent, because they have huge severance payments on their contract (often half to one million pounds) that can bankrupt a council.

    Also talk to CPRE (Council for Preservation of Rural England). Your local library can identify the local rep. They are concerned about the environmental impact of excessive artificial light at night. But more importantly they are experienced lobbyists (though some can be a bit vexatious and loose credibility themselves). But the area CPRE rep will have contacts and connections.

    Also is there a Neighbourhood Group (Neighbourhood Watch or Neighbourhood Action). They are often very well connected. There's bound to be one in your area. They will know sympathetic councillors.

    Good luck

Reply

  • Is there a local NAS group or a parents group or some other qualified individual who could look into this on your behalf and provide advocacy? A local NAS group might already know the right officials to talk to. Or if your local councillor is the sort who would be sympathetic, they might be able to help.

    For things like this it is incredibly difficult for an individual acting on their own account. Councils are mostly staffed by career civil servants. Gone are the days when they were local and had family ties with an area. They'll do four or five or maybe as much as ten years with your local authority and move on. And consequently there's no mileage for them being helpful to individuals especially if they might lose brownie points towards their next promotion to a better job in a bigger council.

    Getting things done is thus extraordinarily hard, as the whole system conspires to avoid detail - its all broad sweep decision making. As I mentioned above anything sub-contracted is even more complex. You'll just see walls springing up (metaphor similar to "closing ranks" - in other words they'll put up barriers). Elected councillors who try to fight through issues often find the civil servants will neutralise them by putting every obstacle in their way.

    Its like "Yes Primeminister" the comedy series, but a hundred times worse. You cannot sack the senior ones, however incompetent, because they have huge severance payments on their contract (often half to one million pounds) that can bankrupt a council.

    Also talk to CPRE (Council for Preservation of Rural England). Your local library can identify the local rep. They are concerned about the environmental impact of excessive artificial light at night. But more importantly they are experienced lobbyists (though some can be a bit vexatious and loose credibility themselves). But the area CPRE rep will have contacts and connections.

    Also is there a Neighbourhood Group (Neighbourhood Watch or Neighbourhood Action). They are often very well connected. There's bound to be one in your area. They will know sympathetic councillors.

    Good luck

Children
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