DEVIZES Town Council is to ask the police if there has been any crime committed on The Green to help decide if street lighting is needed there.

The town council's community and civic resources committee was split on whether or not lampposts were needed on The Green by Devizes School.

The council consulted through its newspaper The Messenger in December 2003 but received a poor response and there was no clear cut support or opposition to the idea.

Coun Paula Winchcombe said the public should be consulted again on whether lighting was needed.

She said: "People don't like crossing The Green late at night and people have fallen over because it's dangerous. We have a duty to help towards reducing antisocial behaviour.

"The police have said there have been hot spots of gatherings of people on The Green and while they may not be doing anything wrong there is a perception by people of feeling unsafe."

Coun Ray Taylor said there was no justification to consult on the issue.

"There is no objective evidence of antisocial behaviour on The Green. Has anyone been injured or upset about walking across The Green at night?" he said.

Lt Col Colvin Chamberlain of The Trust for Devizes said his group did not want street lighting on The Green.