Edinburgh first Scottish council to pass fireworks ban

Edinburgh has become the first Scottish council to vote for a ban on the use of fireworks in certain parts of the city around Bonfire Night.

Councillors voted to introduce the temporary restrictions in Niddrie, Balerno, Seafield and Calton Hill.

The control zones will run from 1-10 November. Anyone setting off a private firework during this period will be committing a criminal offence.

The move follows serious disorder in the Niddrie area last year, and support for a ban from community groups and animal welfare charities.

The Scottish government gave local authorities new powers to designate ‘firework control zones’ (FCZs) in 2022 following a major riot in Dundee.

Setting off a firework in an FCZ is a criminal offence unless as part of a properly licensed public display.

The Scottish government said establishing FCZs was a "key milestone in the journey towards a cultural change in Scotland's relationship with fireworks".

In Glasgow a council consultation on a firework ban in 12 zones has just closed.

Meanwhile Dundee City Council launched a consultation on the matter in September which was supposed to last eight to 12 weeks.

One councillor was quoted in the local press saying he did not think the council had "moved fast enough" in terms of using the new powers.

There are currently no Firework Control Zones in place in Dundee or Aberdeen.

Limited zones

In the capital it is hoped the new laws will curb anti-social behaviour and violence around Bonfire Night seen in recent years.

Last November riot police were attacked by around 100 youths with petrol bombs and fireworks in Niddrie, while there was similar trouble in Southhouse and Sighthill.

Edinburgh City Council's Culture and Communities committee voted against a control zone covering the entire city for now.

It decided it would use evidence from how the four FCZs worked and return to the discussion next February.

Culture and communities convener Val Walker, said: "The zones are smaller zones within an area and not the whole city zone.

"What weighs on me is the impact on our fire and police services who have quite rightly have made it clear they wont go against the democratic decision-making process by the council but have made it clear they cannot resource it.

"So I would like us to go forward with the limited zones this year, have the evidence based on that experience to review in February and then to commence a longer and broader period of consultation."

'Stigmatising' neighbourhoods

Scottish Green councillors in the city chambers said they wanted a city-wide crackdown to address concerns about the impact of fireworks on the environment, animals and vulnerable people.

They also said neighbourhood zones could be a "stigmatising thing saying people in these areas can’t be trusted to have fireworks".

Ruairidh Nichols, senior public affairs officer at the Dogs Trust, said it backed a city-wide ban on fireworks despite not having any centres in Edinburgh.

He said: "We rehome dogs in Edinburgh. It is estimated that between half and three quarters of companion dogs in the UK are fearful of fireworks.

"This is manifested by a number of negative behaviours including hiding away, trembling and shaking or even trying to escape.

"For dogs with a severe response to fireworks the impact can last a really long time beyond just the night of the event."