Update: Efforts to tackle anti-social behaviour linked to nuisance fireworks

We’ve been contacted by a large number of residents in Chadderton & Werneth who are rightly concerned about the late-night use of fireworks – often well beyond acceptable hours – causing serious distress for families, older residents, pet owners, and those with mental health conditions.

The GMP acknowledge that this illegal use of fireworks is a real problem at the moment and difficult for them to police because once fireworks go off, the illegal activity is long over and concealed by the time the police receive any reports.

Chadderton & Werneth’s local neighbourhood policing team have confirmed to us that they have:

an 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺-𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻 to lower demand throughout our borough.

𝗲𝗻𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸𝘀 in visits to licenced vendors in Oldham.

issued 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲 & 𝗹𝗮𝘄𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 use in visits to wedding venues & religious establishments.

continued their 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 on the risks associated with firework misuse.

To be absolutely clear: this kind of antisocial behaviour is unacceptable, and no one should feel unsafe or unable to sleep peacefully in their own home. And it’s fair to say that public patience with these all too regular selfish acts has worn thin.

While fireworks can be part of cultural and family celebrations, they must be used responsibly and within the law. Under the Fireworks Regulations 2004, it is an offence to use fireworks after 11pm and before 7am without permission (except on permitted fireworks nights when the times are extended).

In government, Labour is committed to tackling this issue head on.

Giving the police stronger powers to tackle antisocial behaviour, including the misuse of fireworks, by introducing 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 in the Crime and Policing Bill which is moving through Parliament.

Confirmed the timeline for delivery of our neighbourhood policing guarantee, with 𝟯,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗻𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘀 & 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘀 will be in post within the next 12 months. Our guarantee is a named, contactable officer in every community so that patrols of hotspot areas can increase and enforcement of existing laws can be stronger.

𝗧𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘂𝘀𝗲 of fireworks to stop them getting into the wrong hands, particularly the sale of fireworks to children.

We are encouraging residents to report any illegal or nuisance firework usage to Oldham’s environmental health team, capturing any evidence on phones of the breach of the rules can help the environmental health team appropriately enforce the matter.