FIREWORK control zones could be designated in Dumfries and Galloway in a bid to improve safety for residents.
Members of the community who have had issues with fireworks and antisocial behaviour around Bonfire Night may soon have the opportunity to crack down on reckless behaviour.
Residents could request for a firework-free zone to be set up in their area under new proposals expected to be rubber-stamped by Dumfries and Galloway Council next week.
A report, due to be presented at the council’s education, skills, and community wellbeing committee, reads: “The purpose of a community request is to provide communities themselves with a route to ask a local authority to formally consider whether a zone should be designated, amended or revoked in a particular place within its area.”
The community requests are described as “a valuable tool for a local authority to become aware of local concerns about fireworks use.”
Any requests made to the council would have to go through a five-stage process and there would have to be support from 25 signatories, as well as evidence of issues with fireworks and antisocial behaviour.
This move comes after the Scottish Government introduced The Fireworks and Pyrotechnic Articles (Scotland) Act 2022, which gives discretionary powers to local authorities to designate a place within their area as a firework control zone (FCZ).
The council report explains: “The Act enables a local authority to designate a place within its area as an FCZ. The place designated under this section may typically be a small identifiable place within the local authority area.
“It is an offence to ignite a firework within an FCZ, or knowingly or recklessly throw or cast a lit firework, or fire a firework, into the zone.
“Previously, the Explosives Act 1875 made it an offence to light or to throw a firework in or into a public place. A FCZ will extend this prohibition into private land (including domestic gardens).
“However, even if an FCZ is established, it will not completely ban fireworks within the zone, as there is an exemption from FCZ requirements for public fireworks displays on behalf of charitable, religious, youth, recreational, community, political or other similar organisations.”
