Corby Council proposes in its 2008/9 capital budget to remove £10,000 worth of funding per annum for village street lamps for the next few years.

One parish council chairman says there has been no discussion with residents about the plan.

Chairman of Middleton Parish Council, Dryden Phillipson, said: "Our parish council is very much opposed to this.

"This issue was not included in the public paper so the borough council has not given the people in the villages any time to consult on it.

"We feel lighting is important for the health and safety of people living in our village. Some lights in Middleton are more than 35 years old.

"At the last rural area forum meeting the parishes came to an agreement that we would resist the cut.

"I can't see any reason why this should be cut. It's just as important as lighting anywhere else."

Spokesman for Corby Council Madelyn McAlpine said: "This is not a cut in a revenue budget – we continue to fund the running costs for village lighting. It relates to the capital programme.

"A couple of years ago we agreed to a request from the rural area forum to fund improvements to village lighting and set up a programme of £10,000 per year for five years.

"By the end of the current financial year we will have spent £20,000.

"In light of the economic downturn and the impact on capital receipts, we are not proposing any capital expenditure that isn't contractually committed or statutorily required.

"This may be seen as a 'cut', but there are many things that we won't be doing given the lack of capital funds, and we will resume our investment programme once the economy picks up."

Stan Heggs, county councillor for Corby Rural and borough member for Stanion and Corby Village, said: "We've got to be looking at safety of people in the villages.

"Some street lighting in the villages isn't in proper working order in the places we need additional lighting.

"We were lucky in Stanion as we got a couple down by the village hall.

"But I'm very concerned about this because villages are just as important as the main towns."

The council's budget is set to be finalised next month.