Possible restrictions on using disposable barbecues and releasing sky lanterns and balloons on Isle of Wight Council-owned land could be ruled out for the time being.
County Hall officers have advised the environment and community protection committee (ECPC) to acknowledge there is currently ‘insufficient’ funding, organisational capacity and supporting evidence to progress the policies.
This is despite ‘significant public support’ for the measures, and comes at a time when the Island has had a significant wildfire during the recent heatwave – thought to have been caused by a campfire.
A public consultation found 69% of respondents support a restriction on disposable barbecues, compared to 88% for sky lanterns, 84% for balloon releases and 82% supporting the use of Fixed Penalty Notices for enforcement.
Last September, ECPC members voted to press ahead with a process seeking to establish whether the practices are causing a ‘nuisance’ and understand support for the introduction of new Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs).
Public support alone is not enough to justify introducing a PSPO curtailing the activities, a council report says ahead of an ECPC meeting on Thursday (30th July).
PSPOs, brought in in 2014, are among a range of powers and tools to help tackle anti-social behaviour locally, according to the Local Government Association.
The report states:
“The consultation demonstrated significant public support for restrictions relating to disposable barbecues, sky lanterns and balloon releases.
“However, all options involving regulatory intervention would require substantial further legal, evidential, consultation and implementation work before the council could determine whether restrictions were justified, proportionate and enforceable.
“No funding source has been identified to support this work, and progression would require the diversion of officer capacity from existing statutory duties and approved corporate priorities.”
ECPC councillors will meet at County Hall at 17:00 this Thursday.
So.., in spite of the current tinder-dry conditions, and plenty of historical record of both the potential for causing fires, and injury of farm animals etc.,.. of portable BBQs and ‘Sky Lanterns’.. the council claim that there is “‘insufficient’ … supporting evidence”…
what are they wanting,.. 100s more fires / injuries before they take any note..
have they never heard of the term ‘pre-emptive’…
Statistics from Defra:
An estimated 2,431 wildfires are caused by single-use barbecues per year.
The estimated cost of fires due to single-use barbecues is approximately £1.8 million per year in England.
1.9 million sky lanterns end up as litter per year.
Also from Defra:
In the UK, a range of local … interventions have been undertaken.
For single-use barbecues, [they] include (but are not limited to):
PSPOs can be used to ban the use of single-use barbecues on designated public land and allow a fixed penalty notice of £100 to be issued to anyone in breach of this measure
For sky lanterns and helium balloons, examples include (but are not limited to):
Ban of release on council-owned land by some local authorities, including … making the release an offence under a PSPO.
So the relevant government agency says they should be banned… but IWC think there is “insufficient’ supporting evidence”.
perhaps some of these ‘new’ councillors should learn to read…
Surely it is logic that when a hosepipe ban comes into force, that disposable barbecues should also be banned automatically?
Sky lanterns should be banned anyway.
It should be ruled out, and whilst at it stop B’stards speeding.
The island is a joke thesedays is there no law on island roads
BUY SOME SPEED CAMERA’S and fine motorists heavily who break
the limit.
Whilst I for one thoroughly enjoy your intelligent, articulate, thought provoking and original comments on each and every story, might I suggest that perhaps you do not bring every single story round to the same topic?
It’s because I am hoping the SO called authorities do
something about it.
I know they won’t because they are clueless.
I was driving along the Military Road this afternoon
and a Numpty in an ST must have been doing 90mph+
Overtook 3 vehicles just passed The Wightmouse Inn
with 2 openings on the right hand side
If a vehicle was joining the Military Road it would have
been a disaster.
2pm this afternoon a black Ford ST looked like a
Fiesta it was going so fast it was a joke.
You only have to look at ST drivers the majority
of them are ‘STUPID TWATS’
I now know what ST stands for.
Lol
IF you really feel that passionately about it then do something about it. I am pretty sure the powers that be do not read the IE….to be honest some of them struggle to read.
And I imagine the majority of decent people agree with your points. Unfortunately harping on and on and on here will do nothing to further your cause.
The Numpties running the island need to
introduce rules.
The island needs a Mayor like Khan
Speeding would be a thing of the past.
Khan doesn’t tolerate speeding motorists or vehicles
evading paying parking charges by parking on Pavements
inside a pedestrianised zone outside the old tourist information centre opposite Sandown Pier.
That is FRAUD!
Pavements are NOT for vehicles, on the island there are
FUNNY RULES
I’m with you here.
As I reported yesterday, some scum speeding and over taking in a white van with refrigeration unit on the roof through Binstead, Fishbourne and Wootton,even got into the lane to turn right for the car ferry so he could over take people and screeched off. Too far away to get the plate unfortunately.
The island is lawless, no other way to describe it.
Was he on his way to a BBQ?
And something should be done to restore doorstep milk deliveries…
Idea based on touchy feely ideas. Yes fires are not good but just because some idiot left a fire doesnt mean everyone else suffers. Typical over the top ideas to control people. Fires could have been caused by that crazy BMW driver who crashed, electrical fires , dumbassss throwing cigarettes out car window etc. Floating balloon things with real fire would make sense to ban as no control where it lands
That is true, but idiots muck it up for others.
Too be honest if someone wants to light a Barbeque
or fire on a beach. WHO WILL STOP THEM!
The SO called authorities won’t. you will probably get a
local dog Walker trh and read you the riot act
But too be honest we all knows how that ends.
Much easier for dog walkers etc to mind their own business.
THAT IS WHAT WE PAY THE SO CALLED AUTHORITIES FOR
BUT THEY ARE SCARCE ON THE ISLAND, THEY STILL CANNOT
STOP MOTORISTS PARKING ON PAVEMENTS INSIDE A PEDESTRIANISED ZONE OUTSIDE THE OLD TOURIST INFORMATION CENTRE OPPOSITE SANDOWN PIER, NOT TO MENTION ALL THE VEHICLES PARKED ON DOUBLE YELLOW LINES ALONG REGENT STREET IN SHANKLIN.
So I say enjoy yourself because no one gives a Fcuk.
I don’t light fires never have, but if I wanted to have a Barbeque
I would.
So many rules but no one to police the rules.
We are not children. We should be capable of behaving in a responsible manner off our own bat, not just because a policeman tells you to. In the meantime, while no one will formally ban these things, it would be helpful if outlets such as Tesco and the convenience store in Totland stopped selling disposable BBQs
“We are not children. We should be capable of behaving in a responsible manner”
Unfortunately, a large proportion of people are either not capable of behaving in a responsible manner, or deliberately choose not to.
so unless that changes , rules (like banning portable BBQs when conditions are like they are) will be necessary…
or they ould ban the sale of floaty balloon things and disposable bbq’s while we have these conditions stop them at source so the mindless Muppets who can’t see a problem in having a BBQ in a field of tinder dry material can’t get their grubby hands on them….simple but then again Deform are now on the Councils and they have no idea or even what a policy is
Im afraid you are missing the point completely Richard. Laws and restrictions are brought in and inevitably cause the majority to suffer because a minority of stupid or wilful people have to be controlled in any society The alternative is to have no ‘controls’ and put up with the inevitable result.
The IOW Council members should be absolutely ashamed of themselves.
Camp fires and barbecues are not the problem causing heath fires, it’s those with shortage of intelligence, caring for others and principles and priorities that are the problem, and those with the can’t be asked attitude to make sure they are safely extinguished before leaving the area. These are the ones that always mess it up for others
Time they were banned completely!!