Bonfire regulation proposals voted down by Belfast City Council

The council will instead review the 2021 bonfire season and write to the Executive asking for an action plan

A proposal brought forward by Sinn Féin that would have introduced new regulations around bonfires on Belfast City Council land has failed. 

The motion was calling for a permit system which would mean anyone building a bonfire on council land would be obliged to apply for permission.

The Sinn Féin motion was backed by the SDLP and People before Profit. 

If passed, it would have seen a number of regulations put in place around bonfires on council land.

These would include the requirement for public liability insurance and a risk assessment to be carried out. 

Other proposed conditions included an event management plan and a commitment to ensure no burning of any toxic materials.

• Why are bonfires lit in Northern Ireland?

• Bonfire regulations agreed by Belfast City Council

Instead, Belfast City Council backed an amendment brought by the Alliance Party. 

This means the council will instead review the 2021 bonfire season and write to the NI Executive asking for an action plan on the issues that surround bonfires. 

'Groundhog day'

Alliance councillor Nuala McAllister said the party believed bonfires should be regulated, but it should be done "in a realistic way".

"In a month or twos time we can sit together as party group leaders to make sure we are engaging with people both on the ground and stakeholders and we can come up with more ways to deal with those problematic bonfires," she said.

Councillor Donal Lyons from the SDLP said it was like "groundhog day".

"We've had review after review over the last number of years," he said.

"Those reviews find the same issues.  Sometimes the issues move 100 yards down the street, but fundamentally they are the same issues.

"The challenges haven't changed but our approach needs too."

The Alliance motion was backed by the unionist parties and the Green Party, 33 votes to 26.