MORE than £1 million has been slashed from energy and fuel costs at Worcestershire County Council – despite delays in plans to dim street lights.

County Hall has cut its CO2 levels 12 per cent by using less energy in buildings, encouraging staff to drive less and operating fewer vehicles for council business.

New published figures reveal the authority used 59,887 tonnes of energy in 2009/10, but it fell 11.6 per cent to 52,929 tonnes by the end of 2011/12, saving £1.16 million.

Since the turn of the decade, bosses have ploughed on with a range of measures to save money which includes better insulation, new energy efficient lightbulbs and the installation of solar panels on some buildings.

Bosses still hope to reduce energy bills further by dimming street lights across Worcestershire, but have revealed they are no further to deciding when.