Surely safety is the main concern here. The lights were out for nearly 2 weeks during the Easter period, just after - assume it was the Council? - upgraded them. The subway subsequently became a magnet for rough sleepers and was impossible to use after about 5pm when it got dark.
The time it took to fix was a disgrace!!!
If it's all about budgets, spend less on an elected Mayor's office (salary of £79k a year, plus £15k expenses for all members of the cabinet - can you believe it?) and more on keeping the streets safe and clean (a lick of paint once every couple of months wouldnt go a miss)!