The option of all-night street lighting has been turned down by the council.

At the end of 2018 Essex County Council announced parish and town councils could pay to have their street lamps kept on all night, rather than switched off at 1am.

At a meeting on Thursday evening Waltham Abbey Town Council opted not to pay Essex County Council £27,236.75 to keep the towns lights on, rather than the town be cast into darkness from 1am to 5am.

However, tax payers will be asked to make the final decision on whether to have all night lighting or extra policing from 2020 at some point.

The decision to defer the street lighting decision followed a vote to increase the 2019-20 council tax precept to £851,000.

This will result in a 1.5 per cent increase – 3.2p a week - on council tax bills for a Band D property.

Epping Town Council also opted to ask residents at a meeting where a 2.5 per cent precept increase was agreed.

Cllr Tony Church said: "I'm not mindful that we should be paying for something that should have been provided."

It would cost £13,200 to turn Epping's light back on.