Albury Council had initially budgeted $2.2 million for the conversion and had hoped to offset some of the cost with the rollout of the Southern Lights Project which aims to drive the conversion of street lighting to LED across 41 council areas in southern NSW.

The program was seeking $61.4 million from the NSW government, but has been put on hold until at least 2020 due to a commitment to investing $4.2 billion in building infrastructure for regional Australia through the Snowy Hydro Legacy Fund.

Albury stalled its required bulk street lamp replacement program last year in anticipation of the Southern Lights Project proceeding.

But a recent Essential Energy review of assets has recommended Albury's changeover at the earliest possible time based on increased lamp failures, non-compliance with standard lighting levels and a deterioration in customer service and response times.

The upfront cost was around $3.5 million, but Albury is eligible to claim one off Energy Savings Certificates through the NSW Energy Saving Scheme at an estimated value of $526,000.

Bulk lamp replacements are due every four years with council's existing annual operating cost for this service around $1.5 million with the switch to LED described by Cr David Thurley as "a brilliant result".

"There are huge cost savings with a payback period of less than four years," he said.

IN OTHER NEWS:

In Albury there are 6000 residential street lights with another 2200 lights on the arterial road network.

The council on Monday night also accepted a tender from Longford Civil to install water from Table Top Road to Kerr Road in the city's growth corridor of Thurgoona.

The successful tender was for $830,040.

The project scope includes supply and construction of 2.3km of water mains including an under-bore of Eight Mile Creek.

Monday night's meeting also marked the beginning of the new senior management structure.

General manager Frank Zaknich has become chief executive and former directors Tracey Squire and Brad Ferris the deputy chief executives.