Town Hall View: We must look at options to crack down on nuisance fireworks
At this time of year, the sound of fireworks is not unfamiliar. For children and families Bonfire Night can be lots of fun, but for some residents, particularly the elderly and those with pets, it can be worrying, writes city council leader Shabina Qayyum.
It’s for this reason we are working with Peterborough MP Andrew Pakes to see what can be done around legislation change on the use of fireworks, including banning those above a specified noise level which have the greatest impact.
Last week Councillor Christian Hogg, Cabinet Member for Regulatory Services and Enforcement, sat down with council officers and our MP in a bid to support those residents who dread the onset of Fireworks Night.
As well as pursuing legislation change, we have agreed to investigate the option of a Public Spaces Protection Order which would look to ensure the correct use of fireworks. Other councils such as London Borough of Newham have taken this approach.
The council is also raising awareness on its social media channels, including encouraging people to attend organised displays and making sure children and supervised.
We’re not trying to be killjoys, but the fact is that fireworks in the wrong hands can be dangerous, and when used without warning they can scare and alarm residents and animals.
Last week I attended the AGM of community organisation Gladca which is always an honour because of its fantastic work over the past 54 years. I was given the chance to speak and shared my views on how community
organisations like Gladca are helping with social cohesion and integration - more important than ever in an environment of extremism and polarisation.
Those in attendance heard about the difference they are making and it commendable. In the past month Gladca has helped 350 families with advice and support and has given shopping vouchers to 1,000 people who are struggling financially.
Gladca is a real success story in our city and one we should celebrate. At last week’s Full Council meeting I shared with members and those watching that one of our staff members had been nominated for a national honour in recognition of their talents in relation to AI.
And I’m pleased to tell you he succeeded! The council’ Service Director for Digital and Customer Access, Julian Patmore, has been ranked number four in the public sector category in the Foundever AI 100 UK 2026, and number seven overall. What’s most exciting is that he is the only person from local government to make it onto the list!
Julian is helping establish Peterborough as a truly forward-thinking council, and much of that comes from his belief that we achieve more when we work together.
We are lucky to have someone of his talents leading this important area for us.
Finally, this week we have launched a consultation on our 2027/28 budget. We have made huge strides forward in becoming financially resilient, evidenced by an independent review carried out by the Chartered Institute for Public Finance and Accountancy earlier this year.
We are also getting more funding from Government than we have ever seen before thanks to the Fair Funding Review introduced in April. However, rising demand and costs in Children’s Services and Adult Social Care are absorbing much of that extra
funding.
As a result, we are facing a budget gap in 2027/28 of £7.4m and therefore need to make careful choices about where money is spent. It’s really important that residents’ views help shape our decisions on how we meet this challenge. So please, take the time to read through the budget consultation document on our website and complete the survey Hard copies can be requested by emailing [email protected] or calling 01733 747474.