Perth and Kinross Council votes to defer decision on removing fireworks from events

27.12.2022 - 14:53 / dailyrecord.co.uk

Perth and Kinross Council has voted to defer a decision on fireworks.

At the final council meeting of the year a special motion was put forward for PKC to “move away from” using fireworks to celebrate key events.

After an hour’s debate - in what was the final council meeting of the year on Wednesday, December 21 - council leader Grant Laing called for the decision to be deferred.

The SNP council leader - and several other councillors - were left confused by what was being proposed.

The motion was tabled by Labour councillor Brian Leishman and seconded by deputy SNP leader Eric Drysdale. It called for Perth and Kinross Council to “move away from the use of traditional fireworks”.

While Perth and Kinross Council does not organise the annual fireworks display on Bonfire Night at Perth’ s South Inch, it is on council land and funded by the council.

Earlier this year the Perth Common Good Fund Committee granted £22,094 to Perth and Strathearn 200 Round Table to organise the 2022 display at Perth’s South Inch.

Perth City North councillor Brian Leishman - who tabled the motion - clarified to councillors: “It is ultimately looking for Perth and Kinross Council not funding any fireworks display or using fireworks as a method of celebrating any council events.”

Angie Ferguson, chief executive of Perth Autism Support - which supports over 1200 young people across Perth and Kinross - told councillors fireworks can be “distressing and overwhelming primarily due to the unexpected nature of them” for some people with autism.

Katie McCandless-Thomas of Missing Pets, Perth and Kinross spoke of the “traumatic” effect fireworks had on animals and called on Perth and Kinross Council to “lead by example” and instead use “safe alternatives to