Dundee council has been told it could shorten the consultation period required for a firework ban to allow one to be put in place in time for Bonfire Night.
New powers given to local authorities in June allow them to introduce so-called Firework Control Zones.
Dundee City Council chief Greg Colgan had explained the bans had not been used due to the legislation requiring an eight to 12-week consultation followed by a notice period of at least 60 days.
He said this would have made it “very difficult” for a ban to be introduced this year – with the legislation only having come into place in June.
But in a letter to North-east Scottish Conservative MSP Maurice Golden, the Scottish Government’s community safety minister said this could be shortened.
Mr Golden had questioned why Dundee City Council had opted not to make use of the bans this year after chaotic scenes around Bonfire Night 2022.
Riots broke out in the Kirkton area of the city and fireworks were thrown at emergency crews responding to the mayhem.
Minister for Victims and Community Safety Siobhian Brown wrote: “The guidance sets out that best practice for running a traditional written consultation is that this would take place over a period of eight to 12 weeks.
“Throughout the co-design process, however, participating local authorities expressed the view that there may be occasions that this timeframe would not be appropriate.
“This could include, for example, a pressing local need to conclude the consultation within a shorter timescale, or local circumstances dictating that a longer consultation would result in significantly higher levels of engagement.”
Firework ban should be council’s ‘single priority’
She said it was councils to decide whether to introduce a ban.
Mr Golden said the council’s single priority should be ensuring the control zones are in place for Bonfire Night.
He told The Courier: “There’s a single priority upon which everyone’s focus should be – ensuring these zones are in place in time for fireworks night.
“If that means the council and the Scottish Government need to put their heads together to push it through more quickly than expected, so be it.
“Our brave emergency service workers dread this time of year more than any. As we saw in Dundee last year, lives are genuinely placed at risk by irresponsible and criminal actions in relation to fireworks.
“If these zones could be created, that gives the authorities real teeth to shut down problem areas, keeping emergency workers and the wider public safer in the process.”
But a Dundee City Council spokesman said that despite the minister’s letter, they did not feel they could introduce a control zone in time.
He said: “The council’s assessment is still that there is not time to implement a Firework Control Zone for November 5 this year, due to the need for consultation with stakeholders and other factors that have to be taken into consideration.
“However, the council and its partners are actively discussing how multi-agency joint working can help protect public safety around Bonfire Night.
“A report is being prepared for councillors on the issues which will be considered by a committee in public in due course.”
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