At a time when we are all cutting our cloth and public services are subject to stringent spending cuts, it seems incredible that dozens of street lights could have been left on continuously for five months.

But that is what happened when 50 lamp posts in Fagley were given an overhaul as part of a £60,000 scheme which was ironically aimed at improving energy efficiency.

It’s impossible to know how much this will have cost, but at a time when some authorities are actually switching lights off at night, it can only be seen as a blatant waste of money.

All of us are being encouraged to make savings, including ensuring we switch off all lights when not in use, and this is no sort of example for the local authority to be setting.

In fairness, it would appear that it was Yorkshire Electricity are the real culprits, having not installed the device which controls the operation of the lights to ensure they only come on in the dark.

However, questions have to be asked as to why this issue was unresolved for five months. Surely action could have been taken much earlier.

It may not seem the biggest issue in terms of expenditure, and the cost will probably be small beer in terms of the overall cuts that Bradford Council is facing.

But to quote a cliche that seems particularly apt in the current economic climate, look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves.

It is a maxim that those involved in this farcical exercise would do well to remember.