That's the question one county councillor is asking after finding out that scaffolding needs to be put up to fix a broken street lamp in Rothbury.
The bulb has gone out in the lamp on the cut-through from the Co-op on High Street to Hillside.
B
ut Northumberland County Council has said that health and safety reasons mean that workers cannot go up ladders to change the bulb and scaffolding had to be put up to change it.
Coun Steven Bridgett, ward member for the village, said: "It is ridiculous. Give me a disclaimer, show me how to do it, give me a ladder and somebody to hold it at the bottom and I will go up and change it."
A county council spokeswoman said: "Due to the high volume of street lighting faults reported at this time of year, there has been a delay in repairing this light in Rothbury, which is situated on a narrow footpath with a steep incline.
"Due to health and safety requirements we are unable to use ladders on such sites, so we have to erect temporary scaffolding to access the lantern.
"The scaffolding was erected to follow health and safety recommendations for our staff. The scaffolding was hired at a commercial rate."
