Guy Fawkes is just around the corner and Balerno Community Council (BCC) met officers of the City of Edinburgh Council to drill down into the legislation regarding fireworks control zones and why this area has been selected.
Richard Henderson, chair of BCC, along with Ian Hynd, Martin Petty and Nigel Duncan, spent nearly two hours with two officers talking through the proposals, questioning how the boundaries were set, and looking longer term.
The plans already agreed at council level will apply in 2025 and 2026 but the BCC representatives stressed the need to fully inform local people why we have been selected along with several other areas in the Capital.
Henderson pointed out that some locals felt “stigmatised” given the notoriety of some of the other areas selected for a control zone and it was pointed out that the order was placed on Balerno because the SSPCA had requested a ban due to the animals housed in the welfare centre at Harlaw Road.
The officials stressed that fireworks set off from an area out with the zone but landing in the zone could attract a fine if the perpetrator could be traced and it was articulated by councillors present that it was important to back-up legislation with action.
The BCC representatives questioned that there had been pre-consultation with local people on the issue, but all at the meeting agreed to move forward and to work constructively to ensure that full information was provided to local people about the second year of the ban in 2026.
Richard Henderson, chair of BCC, along with Ian Hynd, Martin Petty and Nigel Duncan, spent nearly two hours with two officers talking through the proposals, questioning how the boundaries were set, and looking longer term.
The plans already agreed at council level will apply in 2025 and 2026 but the BCC representatives stressed the need to fully inform local people why we have been selected along with several other areas in the Capital.
Henderson pointed out that some locals felt “stigmatised” given the notoriety of some of the other areas selected for a control zone and it was pointed out that the order was placed on Balerno because the SSPCA had requested a ban due to the animals housed in the welfare centre at Harlaw Road.
The officials stressed that fireworks set off from an area out with the zone but landing in the zone could attract a fine if the perpetrator could be traced and it was articulated by councillors present that it was important to back-up legislation with action.
The BCC representatives questioned that there had been pre-consultation with local people on the issue, but all at the meeting agreed to move forward and to work constructively to ensure that full information was provided to local people about the second year of the ban in 2026.
