Motion on Alternative Methods of Celebration

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Motion by Councillors B Leishman and E Drysdale
Alternative Methods of Celebration 
As a Council, we know that individuals, families, and local businesses are facing
huge pressures in these difficult and challenging times. We therefore recognise the
importance and the positive benefits, in terms of personal wellbeing and bolstering
the local economy in bringing our communities together to celebrate events such as
Bonfire Night or our Christmas lights switch on.  It is important however that
everyone can participate in the fun and celebration – but unfortunately our continuing
reliance on traditional fireworks makes that impossible.  We know now that for many
people fireworks are the opposite of fun - they mean fear and distress.  If we think
about children, young people and adults living with autism – our veterans who having
bravely served our country and are now living with stress and trauma – for refugees
who have settled here looking to rebuild their lives after fleeing war.  We also claim
to be a nation of animal lovers, yet we regularly frighten and traumatise our pets and
wildlife by our use of fireworks.  We recognise the importance of our environment
and are committed to tackling climate change but ironically, we then choose to
deliberately release significant amounts of Carbon Dioxide and Carbon Monoxide
into the atmosphere and a cocktail of chemicals such as Barium, Strontium and
Cadmium, that are detrimental to air, land and water.    
As a Council we are continuously looking to improve services and the “customer
experience” for want of a better phrase.  We have to move with the times, and I
would suggest that the time for the traditional firework is up!  I therefore propose the
following Motion.
Council is asked to:
• Acknowledge the importance and the benefit to our communities in bringing
them together to have fun and to celebrate key events in the calendar
• Note that the use of traditional fireworks can cause distress and upset to
many individuals and animals and has a detrimental impact on the
environment
• Lead by example and move away from the use of traditional fireworks and
adopt a more contemporary and sustainable method of marking events and
celebrations