Dudley considers smoking ban after Stourbridge wildfires
Summarised from 2 outlets · 4 reports · Updated 29 Oct, 08:20 · Archive
Dudley Council will debate a proposal to ban smoking in public parks following summer wildfires in Stourbridge.
Dudley Council will hold an extraordinary meeting on 2 November to debate a Notice of Motion on fire prevention and resilience to extreme weather. The motion, put forward by Liberal Democrat leader Cllr Ryan Priest, was prompted by wildfires that devastated homes in Stourbridge during the summer.
The proposals include creating firebreaks and buffer zones in areas of identified risk, displaying fire safety information in public spaces, and banning smoking and disposable barbecues in council-owned parks, nature reserves, woodlands and public open spaces. The motion says these bans could be enforced through Public Space Protection orders. Councillors are also being asked to formally recognise the connection between the fires and climate change, and to establish a cross-party working group to monitor the council's environmental performance.
Stourbridge Friends of The Earth has called on residents concerned about climate change to attend the meeting to show the council how seriously residents take the issue. The group highlighted data from Climate Emergency UK which gave Dudley a score of 24 per cent in tackling climate change, up from 16 per cent in 2023, but still below the 41 per cent average for comparable authorities.
How it is being reported
- Call from Stourbridge climate group to be heard by Dudley councillorsClimate group urges people to make sure politicians take their fears seriously at crunch wildfires debateBirminghamLive · 29 Oct, 05:25
- Dudley climate plan under spotlight as group urges people to attend debateStourbridge Friends of The Earth is calling on people to attend a meeting with Dudley Council.Express & Star · 29 Oct, 02:01
- Smoking ban plan to cut fire risk set for debate by Dudley councillorsWild fires are a wake up call for climate change is the sentiment behind plan to ban smoking in public placesBirminghamLive · 28 Oct, 16:19
- The smoking ban plan for Dudley sparked by Stourbridge wildfires‘The Stourbridge fires must be a turning point in how the council builds resilience’Express & Star · 28 Oct, 15:39
In this story: Dudley Council · Stourbridge · Ryan Priest · Stourbridge Friends of The Earth · Climate Emergency UK
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