Confusion is being cleared after two people in March were told they could pay to have their street lights kept on through the night.

The residents have been apologised to by Cambridgeshire County Council who said they were sorry if there had been a misunderstanding.

March Town Council said the only way street lights would go back on from 2am to 6am was if a certain area was found to have a drastic increase in crime or an area was found to be dangerous and the police put in such a request to the county council.

A spokesman for the county council said: “We have spoken to the two residents concerned to clarify the matter.

“We apologise if there has been a misunderstanding, we have been very clear there are no arrangements for individuals to pay for lights, and before any changes were introduced, we did contact local parish and town councils to see if they wished to find local solutions.

“They were given an opportunity to pay for areas where they wished lights to stay on.

“Some councils, such as Wisbech, Chatteris, Huntingdon, Soham, St. Ives, Cambridge, St. Neots, Fulbourn, Yaxley, Littleport, Teversham and Leverington are among those who have paid to keep some or all lights on between 2am and 6am.

“Communities can contact their parish or town councils if they would like to look for local solutions for lights to be funded over a wider area.”

A March Town Council spokesman said the residents should never have been told they could fund their own lights.

He said: “Contrary to previous information provided by Cambridgeshire County Council, March Town Council has made no agreement with the county council to allow such residents to have individual street lights turned back on at their own expense.

“Certain residents were informed that they may apply to March Town Council to have particular lights turned back on.

“To implement this, it would be necessary for March Town Council to collect all amounts due from residents on an annual basis and pay it to Cambridgeshire County Council.

“March Town Council is not, and never has been, a revenue collector for Cambridgeshire County Council.

“Similarly, March Town Council cannot, and will not, be bound by any agreements arbitrarily made by Cambridgeshire County Council without due consultation.

“The decision to change illumination times was made by Cambridgeshire County Council alone who, in general, is the authority responsible for street lighting within the town.”