Firework control zones: guidance for local authorities

7. Raising Awareness of Firework Control Zones

Following a local authority's decision to establish a firework control zone, or to amend or revoke an existing control zone, appropriate steps must be taken to raise awareness of the decision.

Section 30 of the Act sets out that as soon as is practicable following the publication of confirmation that a firework control zone proposal is proceeding, the local authority must take reasonable steps to inform those who live or work in or near the zone, other members of the local community in or near the zone, and any other persons or bodies that the local authority considers to have a connection with, be interested in, or affected by the proposal.

The local authority must make these groups aware of:

• the date any decision to designate a place as a firework control zone, or to amend or revoke an existing zone, is to have effect (and, if different, the days on which the zone is to operate),
• the boundaries of the zone (or any changes to those boundaries),
• what is permissible within a zone,
• exemptions that apply, and,
• consequences of failure to comply.

Communities have indicated that knowing why a decision has been made will help people understand the need for the zone and support compliance with it. This is likely to be most effective if it goes beyond simply detailing a headline reason and provides more context of the evidence that was considered and the key issues which were highlighted. Therefore, as well as the above statutory requirements, it is good practice to describe the reasons for a control zone being designated, amended or revoked in any activity designed to publicise and raise awareness of a zone.

Local authorities should also ensure that details of any and all designated firework control zones are communicated with all key delivery partners – for example, Police Scotland, and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. Local authorities will engage with such partners as a matter of course, working closely together pre-consultation on a proposal. It therefore should be standard practice to ensure that any relevant partners are aware that a zone is in place, has been modified, or revoked.

It is also good practice to notify the Scottish Government of any new zones by contacting fireworks@gov.scot as part of the awareness raising strategy. This will feed into the Scottish Government's evaluation of the overall impact of the measures within the Act.

Whilst the methods used to raise awareness will vary depending upon local circumstances and may change over time as new forms of communication arise, we have set out a number of suggestions for local authorities to consider when raising awareness of a firework control zone.

These suggestions came directly from the input of key stakeholders and communities during the Scottish Government's community engagement work. Given the wide range of groups and individuals who legally must be made aware of a firework control zone, it is suggested that a number of the methods outlined below are used in combination, as well as any other methods of communication considered appropriate. This should ensure that those who are digitally engaged and those who are more reliant on traditional media formats are reached:

Issue a letter/email (dependent on the initial communication method) to all consultation respondents and all registered addresses and businesses within a firework control zone. This should be done at the point where a control zone is established to adhere to the legislation, and again in advance of traditional firework periods which are celebrated in the community where a control zone is designated in order to maximise compliance.

Signage should be displayed at and within the boundaries of a firework control zone, to notify people of the area covered by the zone. This could, for example, include a QR code to point toward a relevant local authority webpage with more information.

Social media pages should be updated with information relating to the firework control zone – both at the time of the zone being established and at the beginning of the traditional firework periods.

Inform the local Community Council of the details of the firework control zone to allow them to disseminate the information to their members and the wider local community.

Take reasonable steps to inform local community groups of the details of the firework control zone. This would be via social media, email correspondence or putting notices on Public Notice Boards within the community.

Inform local media outlets and other local social media groups to promote the details of the firework control zone. It is best practice to utilise a combination of digital and traditional media formats to ensure that the digitally excluded can still engage with this.

Engage with other community safety partners, such as Neighbourhood Watch Scotland and Crimestoppers, and request they share the information throughout their networks.

Consider the benefits of engaging with respected and influential people in the local community ("influencers"), such as sportspeople or community leaders, to support awareness raising, particularly when engaging with young people. Young people may be less inclined to engage with more established forms of authority and may view others within the community as more credible. Peer-to-peer learning can also provide useful opportunities for engaging young people and getting messages across.

Local authorities may also wish to utilise internal communications networks to inform a range of local authority staff who work directly with communities that can support information sharing and awareness raising of firework control zones.