What Price Crime Prevention

The London Borough of Harrow claims, on its website, that street lights are inspected every two weeks in winter and every four weeks in summer. So a friend of mine who lives in the borough was surprised that one such street light in particular was out for 18 months. This means it was, apparently, inspected at least 30 times with absolutely no effect whatever. The failure of the particular light, at the end of an alleyway used by many pedestrians, was reported to the borough on many occasions because it was perceived as a threat to personal security. Still nothing. It was reported to councillors. Still nothing. It was reported to the councillor who takes responsibility for street lighting, who was told by council officials that it had been fixed. No it hadn't. It was reported to the police as a crime threat. Apparently that particular policeman has better things to do than deal with street lighting. Well, now that someone has been stabbed at the end of that particular alleyway and beneath that non-functioning streetlight I wonder if the police or the council see street lighting as part of their remit?