Urgent action needed to reduce the impact of fireworks on animals and vulnerable people, says Harborough District Council leader

Cllr Phil King is to put forward a motion to the next full council meeting on November 18 after being lobbied by residents and the RSPCA.

Cllr King said: “Bonfire night may have passed but there are fireworks all year round.

“We are primarily a rural area and this is something that does cause a great deal of anxiety to livestock and pet owners as well as many vulnerable persons.”

The Conservative councillor added: “It's not about stopping people having fun or being a 'nanny state' but making sure we are doing all that we reasonably can as both a council and a community to mitigate their impact."

Cllr King says in his motion that fireworks “can cause significant problems and fear for other people and animals”.

“They can be a source of fear and distress for many animals (including pet animals, farm livestock and wildlife).

“Animals affected not only suffer psychological distress but can also cause themselves injuries – sometimes very serious ones – as they attempt to run away or hide from the noise,” he says.

Cllr King will urge the council to:

* to require all public firework displays within the Harborough District Council boundary to be advertised in advance of the event, allowing residents to take precautions for their animals and vulnerable people

* to actively promote a public awareness campaign about the impact of fireworks on animal welfare and vulnerable people – including the precautions that can be taken to mitigate risks

* to write to the UK Government urging them to introduce legislation to limit the maximum noise level of fireworks to 90dB for those sold to the public for private displays

* to encourage local suppliers of fireworks to stock ‘quieter’ fireworks for public display.