Lisburn and Castlereagh council to 'take authority' over 11th night bonfires for first time

Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council has approximately 24 bonfires lit on its lands to mark the July 11th night with ten of them on council owned land.

Elected members have now approved a recommendation for the communities and wellbeing committee to take authority on the process surrounding bonfire management.

A council officer said: “his council does not have a formal bonfire management programme with conditions, but rather employs a risk based approach to each of the sites on an annual basis. It does not regulate or grant permission for bonfires on its sites.”

The officer added: “This paper and associated process for managing bonfires on council owned sites aims to ensure a safe and responsible approach to managing sites were this activity occurs.

Sinn Fein’s Gary McCleave said: “I would like to know if any illegal bonfires are reported to the police and if there has been any response? ”

A council officer told the chamber that any such reports were “shared with the multi agency group” and that “no formal report of illegal bonfires had been made to the PSNI”. The inter-agency forum facilitated by LCCC meets between March and August each year to review identified sites within the council area.

The agencies include, NI Housing Executive, PSNI, NI Fire and Rescue Services, DAERA (Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs) and NI Water. Committee chairperson, Jonathan Craig (DUP) said: “Thankfully we have had no major issues with bonfires in the district.”