Agenda item

A – Restrictions on use of Sky Lanterns and Helium Balloons from land owned by, and events licensed by BCP Council

Background

Many organisations have drawn attention to the problem of sky lantern and balloon releases which end up as litter on land or sea and pose a risk to livestock and marine animals which mistake balloons for food and are injured by the metal in some sky lanterns.

Balloons have been found ingested in endangered turtles, dolphins, whales and seabirds. Livestock have died after eating degraded lanterns, which are accidentally picked up by harvesting machinery and put into winter feeds.

Lanterns also pose a fire risk to crops in the summer months and to thatched roof properties.  In April 2016 a sky lantern landed on a Dorset Nature Reserve near Wareham starting a major gorse fire and just after Christmas 2019 in Germany sky lanterns were believed to have caused the death of dozens of zoo animals.  In addition, sky lanterns are causing a number of false alarm call outs on the coast as people mistake them for distress flares.

The call to ban balloon and sky lantern releases nationally is supported by the Marine Conservation Society, RSPCA, RSPB, BASC and the National Farmers’ Union.

Following the public outcry about plastic in our oceans and the recent Climate and Ecological Emergencies declared not just here but across hundreds of councils and other organisations, now is the time to put an end to this unnecessary activity.

Councillor Vikki Slade will move and Councillor Rachel Maidment will second that

BCP Council proposes that:-

1. Releases of Sky Lanterns and Helium Balloons should not be permitted from land owned by BCP Council.

2. Releases of Sky Lanterns and Helium Balloons should not be permitted at any events licensed by BCP Council.

3. BCP Council Communications team should consider amending their literature to include ideas for alternative commemorative actions, drawing attention to the ban on council land and discouraging organisers from using Sky Lanterns or Balloon Releases at events on private land.

B – Fur Free Markets

Councillor Rachel Maidment will move and Councillor Vikki Slade will second that:

BCP Council notes that:

• The United Kingdom has outlawed the farming of animals for their fur on ethical grounds since 2000 and that the use of one of the most common traps used to catch animals for their fur has been illegal for many years.
• Nonetheless fur products are imported from overseas nations, particularly China, where such bans do not operate and where there is virtually no animal welfare legislation in force.
• Real fur comes from animals raised in deplorable conditions or trapped in the wild and killed inhumanely.
• Regrettably these products are often found for sale on public markets in the UK and customers can inadvertently buy them thinking them to be made of imitation fur.

Accordingly BCP Council resolves to:

• Prohibit the sale of any product wholly or partially made with real animal fur on Council owned land and at Council run or Council leased markets. This ban to cover such items as fur coats, vintage fur, fur shawls, garments with fur trim, fur pompom hats, and fur accessories and trinkets.
• Support the Fur Free Markets campaign of the animal welfare charity, Respect for Animals, the UK’s leading anti-fur organisation, by:

Ø Becoming a signatory to the initiative.

Ø Seeking the advice and assistance of the charity in the enforcement of this ban

A – Restrictions on use of Sky Lanterns and Helium Balloons from land owned by, and events licensed by BCP Council

The Council was advised that the following motion had been proposed by Councillor V Slade, seconded by Councillor R Maidment

Background

Many organisations have drawn attention to the problem of sky lantern and balloon releases which end up as litter on land or sea and pose a risk to livestock and marine animals which mistake balloons for food and are injured by the metal in some sky lanterns.

Balloons have been found ingested in endangered turtles, dolphins, whales and seabirds. Livestock have died after eating degraded lanterns, which are accidentally picked up by harvesting machinery and put into winter feeds.

Lanterns also pose a fire risk to crops in the summer months and to thatched roof properties.  In April 2016 a sky lantern landed on a Dorset Nature Reserve near Wareham starting a major gorse fire and just after Christmas 2019 in Germany sky lanterns were believed to have caused the death of dozens of zoo animals.  In addition, sky lanterns are causing a number of false alarm call outs on the coast as people mistake them for distress flares.

The call to ban balloon and sky lantern releases nationally is supported by the Marine Conservation Society, RSPCA, RSPB, BASC and the National Farmers’ Union.

Following the public outcry about plastic in our oceans and the recent Climate and Ecological Emergencies declared not just here but across hundreds of councils and other organisations, now is the time to put an end to this unnecessary activity.

BCP Council proposes that:-

1. Releases of Sky Lanterns and Helium Balloons should not be permitted from land owned by BCP Council.
2. Releases of Sky Lanterns and Helium Balloons should not be permitted at any events licensed by BCP Council.
3. BCP Council Communications team should consider amending their literature to include ideas for alternative commemorative actions, drawing attention to the ban on council land and discouraging organisers from using Sky Lanterns or Balloon Releases at events on private land.

RESOLVED that the above motion be unanimously agreed.

B – Fur Free Markets

The Council was advised that the following motion had been proposed by Councillor R Maidment, seconded by Councillor V Slade

BCP Council notes that:

• The United Kingdom has outlawed the farming of animals for their fur on ethical grounds since 2000 and that the use of one of the most common traps used to catch animals for their fur has been illegal for many years.
• Nonetheless fur products are imported from overseas nations, particularly China, where such bans do not operate and where there is virtually no animal welfare legislation in force.
• Real fur comes from animals raised in deplorable conditions or trapped in the wild and killed inhumanely.
• Regrettably these products are often found for sale on public markets in the UK and customers can inadvertently buy them thinking them to be made of imitation fur.

Accordingly BCP Council resolves to:

• Prohibit the sale of any product wholly or partially made with real animal fur on Council owned land and at Council run or Council leased markets. This ban to cover such items as fur coats, vintage fur, fur shawls, garments with fur trim, fur pompom hats, and fur accessories and trinkets.

·         Support the Fur Free Markets campaign of the animal welfare charity, Respect for Animals, the UK’s leading anti-fur organisation, by:

-     Becoming a signatory to the initiative.

-     Seeking the advice and assistance of the charity in the enforcement of this ban

Members in considering the above commented on the importation of fur and the ability to police the policy.

RESOLVED that the above motion be agreed.

Voting: For – 64; Against – 2; Abstentions – 7