HoSApp - Operation Moonbeam - FINAL - 20.02.25
North Ayrshire Council · 3 March 2025
Back to Police and Fire and Rescue Committee — 3 March 2025 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL 03 March 2025 Police / Fire and Rescue Committee Title: Operation Moonbeam – Streetscene Service Purpose: To provide an update on the role of Streetscene Operations in relation to reducing risks to communities and emergency workers through Operation Moonbeam. Recommendation: That the Committee notes the contribution of the Streetscene Service in the reduction of illegal bonfires through the removal of combustible materials. 1. Executive Summary 1.1 The Streetscene service has assisted Police Scotland and the Scottish Fire and Rescue with Operation Moonbeam for a significant period of time. 1.2 In the run up to 05 November 2024, Streetscene’s Area Officer for the 3 Towns & Kilwinning and the Fly Tipping Officer attended weekly meetings during October which increased to daily in the week prior to bonfire night. The purpose of the meetings was to share information and identify locations where combustible material was accumulating, and to identify appropriate responsibility to respond. 1.3 These meetings were also attended by representative Housing Associations namely – Riverside, Cunninghame Housing and ANCHO - with North Ayrshire Council’s Housing Service also in attendance. This helped create a single point of contact and information sharing which improved communication between stakeholders. 2. Background 2.1 The role of the Streetscene Service around bonfire night is to remove combustible materials (if possible) to minimise the risk of illegal fires that could lead to the damage of property or injuries to persons. In the lead up to bonfire night the Streetscene Environmental Enforcement Team are particularly vigilant seeking out any stockpiling of combustible materials and to investigate any possible source of the waste materials. This helps enable engagement whether by educational means or the issue of Fixed Penalty Notices before passing on the information for consideration of uplift and disposal. 2.2 In the lead up to bonfire night the Streetscene service removed combustible materials from the following locations. • Castlepark – Irvine • Lundholm Road – Stevenston • Arthur Street – Stevenston • Ardchoille Lane - Stevenston
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• Mid Road – Beith • Holehouse Road – Largs • Stanley Road – Ardrossan • Central Avenue – Ardrossan • Chapelhill Mount - Ardrossan • St Andrews Road – Ardrossan • New England Road – Saltcoats • Donaldson Avenue – Saltcoats 2.3 This year seen a further shift from the traditional means of collection bonfire materials which was typically young children collecting waste wood on a wheelbarrow to more organised collections by adults using either their own or works vans to transport materials to the store site. This method of transport has led to a sharp increase in larger scale unauthorised events where there is little or no control evident. Several commercial contractors have been identified, taking the opportunity to dispose of their commercial waste through a bonfire to avoid disposal costs. Social media platforms are widely being used to advertise and assist with the coordination associated with these events, being meticulously planned to include other forms of entertainment and the provision of hot food and drinks. To overcome the preventative risk reduction actions of Operation Moonbeam, residents local to the sites have been allowing the use of their private gardens to store the combustible material creating further hazards to surrounding properties. Typical Example of hazardous storage of bonfire material In addition to the pre bonfire night intervention work the Streetscene service has to undertake a considerable amount of clear up work following the 5th November, which typically can take several weeks due to secondary fires. This also diverts resources away from delivering key street cleaning services. 2.3.1 Photograph to illustrate clean up required:
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Bonfire aftermath Waste left scattered unburned. Bonfire aftermath 2.4 The Streetscene Service will be participating in a short life working group, which has been formulated to look at the establishment of a permission process for bonfires on Council land, as well as a land use consenting regime for non-commercial events, as well as some other event safety and policy related issues. The outcomes of this group are currently scheduled to be presented to the Policy Advisory Pannel for consideration later this year. It should also be noted that a Firework Control Zone Process has been established within the Council although this legislation specifically excludes bonfires. 3. Proposals 3.1 That the Police and Fire and Rescue Committee note the actions taken by the Streetscene service to reduce illegal fire activity and the associated risks to the public and our emergency services. 4. Implications/Socio-economic Duty Financial 4.1 The work undertaken by Streetscene in relation to Operation Moonbeam is financed from existing budgets. Human Resources 4.2 None.
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Legal 4.3 No legal implications arising from this update. Equality/Socio-economic 4.4 There are no equality/socio-economic implications arising from this report. Climate Change and Carbon 4.5 There are no climate change and carbon implications arising from this report. Key Priorities 4.6 The support provided to Operation Moonbeam through the removal of combustible materials prior to bonfire night to prevent fires contributes to a number of key priorities and community safety. Community Wealth Building 4.7 There are no implications for community wealth building arising from this report. 5 Consultation 5.1 During Operation Moonbeam the Streetscene service is in constant dialogue with the following partners: • Housing Services and local Housing Associations • Protective Services • Public Space CCTV and Concierge Service • Police Scotland • Scottish Fire and Rescue • Private rental sector RUSSELL McCUTCHEON Executive Director (Place) For more information, please contact James Heaney, Acting Senior Manager - Operations (Streetscene) on 01294 310000 Background Papers 0