OUTDATED street lights are set to be replaced after councillors approved new funding.

Darlington Borough Council's cabinet has approved plans to spend £30,600 every year for quarter of a century to replace concrete lamp columns.

The new lights will be made of steel rather than concrete and last for up to 30 years.

The new design will be more efficient to reduce light pollution, carbon emissions and costs.

A suggestion by Liberal Democrat councillor Malcolm Dunstone to either dim or turn off some lights during the early hours to further reduce costs was not considered by the cabinet.

The idea, which has been adopted by other councils in the country, was previously discussed in a council scrutiny group earlier this year.