Calderdale councillors concerned over access to fireworks on TikTok
Councillors are expecting to start getting to start getting reports from people in their wards about anti-social fireworks and worries about siting of some bonfires
Hello and welcome to The Calderdale Lead.
I hope you’ve had a good week as always.
Bonfire night is fast approaching and I know it’s a topic which splits opinion.
In today’s edition, my LDR colleague John Greenwood hears concern from councillors about young people getting access to fireworks.
Unlike in previous years, there’s concern from town hall chiefs that youngsters are able to get hold of fireworks from TikTok and the ‘black market’.
John has full details below…
Calderdale briefing
🗑️Staggered closing of Calderdale’s waste and recycling sites will begin later this month. Rising statutory social care costs in particular have seen Calderdale Council battle to balance its books in recent years.
A decision to save money on the waste and recycling centres was taken as part of the budget process. But rather than close one of Calderdale’s five centres – Elland was the option considered – permanently, councillors agreed the better option was to close all centres for some of the time.
Brighouse will be closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, Elland will be closed on Thursdays and Fridays, Sowerby Bridge will be closed on Mondays and Tuesdays and Todmorden will be closed on Thursdays and Fridays. The main centre at Halifax will only close on one day, Wednesdays.
The changes come in on October 27.
⚽ A dramatic late winner brought Halifax Town’s eight-match unbeaten run to an end as they went down 2-1 at Truro City.
Will Harris gave The Shaymen the lead on 65 minutes, capitalising on a poor backpass before slotting past the Truro keeper.
But Shaun Donnellan dragged the hosts back into the game in the 82nd minute before an injury time winner from Luke Jephcott.
Meanwhile, Town have signed Bolton Wanderers defender Oliver Smith on loan.
The 18-year-old has made two first-team appearances for Bolton, both in this season’s EFL Trophy.
Council chiefs worried about youngsters’ access to fireworks
By John Greenwood
The ease with which young people can get hold of fireworks is worrying community safety partners in the run-up to Bonfire Night.
But these days they are much likelier to get them online or from someone selling them out of a boot of a car rather than licensed stockists, Calderdale councillors heard.
Councillors told Calderdale Community Safety Partnership members they were expecting to start getting reports from people in their wards about anti-social fireworks and worries about siting of some bonfires.
The council’s Crime and Disorder Committee asked what preparations were in place for the period.
Chair, Cllr Abigail White said councillors recommended people report incidents in the build-up to the police as it produces a pattern of evidence.
There were also concerns about where some “random” bonfires were being built, she said.
Cllr White also wanted to know how partners were working with Trading Standards officers to tackle issues of children and young people being able to get hold of fireworks.
Ollie Crossland, principal response officer of the council’s Community Protection Team, said Trading Standards were very active but the main problem did not lay – “few and far between” – with licensed sellers who knew everyone’s eyes were on them.
“It’s the fact they are coming out of people’s cars or they are getting them off TikTok, people all over the internet.
“That’s a challenge. That’s where the majority are coming from in our experience,” he said.
He urged councillors to share information with them including, in terms of the “car boot” examples, locations where Trading Standards teams could make test purchases and checks.
The partnership’s operational bonfire group was now meeting weekly.
In some social housing areas, people were being reminded of their responsibility as tenants – although tenancies usually say they are not allowed to have bonfires, reality dictates people need to be advised of the safest places in an area.
“We have to give advice around where they’re going to put them if they’re going to put them somewhere,” said Mr Crossland.
In the night itself, community safety partners used an operational control room, including CCTV, to have “eyes and ears” on the situation.
Inspector Craig Collins said there was a lot of community engagement in high risk areas, including work on safety with families who had young children.
“Council staff and PCSOs are tasked already to go out to any areas where we have previously experienced issues on Bonfire Night or where we’ve seen peaks in anti-social behaviour that may be indicative of a problem in the bonfire period,” he said.
This included environmental audits on things such as fly-tipping or dumped rubbish that might represent an increased risk near bonfires, teams clearing it before Bonfire Night.
That’s it for this edition.
Thanks for reading and don’t forget you can get in touch with me via calderdale@thelead.uk with any news tips, comments or observations.
I’ll be back on Wednesday with another edition.
Until then, have a great rest of the weekend!
Andrew