COUNCILS will slash the amount of funds they spend on electricity with help from new advice.

Scottish Futures Trust (SFT) has developed a tool to allow local authorities calculate the savings from switching to LED street lighting.

Supported by the Scottish Government through its Resource Efficient Scotland (RES) programme, the toolkit also calculates what level of investment is required by the council to replace its old lights with new LED fittings.

South Lanarkshire Council plans to invest £20million in LED lamps over the next three years.

Gordon Mackay, Head of Roads and Transportation Services with South Lanarkshire Council, said: "We have developed a detailed proposal to invest some £20m in new LED lamps over three years.

"SFT's toolkit provides us with the technical information that allows us to evaluate and verify options and support the development of a business case which we hope will allow millions in future savings to be reinvested in upgrading our wider street lighting infrastructure."

SFT predicts councils using the toolkit and investing in LED lighting will pay less for electricity in 25 years time than they do now

Across Scotland, there are nearly 900,000 street lights costing local authorities £41m in annual electricity charges.

The street lights also impact on the environment by releasing 199,091 tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere each year.

Lindsay McGregor, associate director at SFT and who leads the street lighting programme, said: "Once the energy efficiency measures have been implemented, councils can take comfort from the fact that in 25 years' time they will still be paying less for electricity than what they currently pay. "Plus the many millions they save over the next 25 years could be used to support and maintain vital local services.

"Whilst many councils are already investing in LED street lighting, we are working with RES to encourage more local authorities to take swift action and install the new technology allowing them to maximise savings."