A TOWN council has voted against the use of “quiet” fireworks at future events despite controversy after cancelling Jubilee fireworks over concerns for wildlife.

Members of the public submitted written representations to Wallingford Town Council to urge them to only use “quiet fireworks” due to concerns about the impact on wildlife, pets, and young children.

The motion follows a decision by the town council’s working group to axe the Jubilee fireworks and flotilla after pleas from residents last month.

READ MORE: 'People were disappointed in the Jubilee events,' says town councillor

Councillor Giles Cattermole described the decision as “nonsense” and planned to host his own fireworks from his private garden as well as organise the flotilla without the council’s support.

However, despite the axing, town councillors unanimously voted against changing the displays due to the money the events raise for local charities as well as being a “great British tradition”.

Mark Brett, who organises the fireworks as part of the 1155 charitable organisation, urged councillors not to ban “normal” fireworks as the events have raised £25,000 for charity per year.

Speaking at a meeting of the full council on Monday (18), he said: “The terminology I’ve seen on social media is silent fireworks but they aren’t silent they are low noise or less noise – it’s unrealistic to let off low noise fireworks.

READ MORE: 'Mini regatta could compensate for wash out Jubilee events,' says councillor

“A silent one would be a light show or a drone show which are possibilities but financially we cannot justify it.

“The general idea is that the traditional ones, which have been going for 400 years, would be a great loss to the town as well as the organisations who benefit financially from them.

“There’s about 20 organisations that help us put these events on and in return we give back that money to say thank you             .”

Mayor Marcus Harris agreed that the fireworks are an “amazing event” and if changed may result in more “private garden fireworks”.

He said: “9,000 people having a go in their own gardens as they didn’t want to come to our event would cause way more problems than us putting it on safely.”

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Councillor Claire Holford agreed and added: “It’s an amazing event for the town and it raises so much money.

“If we decided to do this and people held their own firework displays I suspect it would create more trouble for animals and children with sensory issues – we’d be made to do this, it should stay as it is.”

Councillor Stephen Beatty said: “It’s a great British tradition, why are we discussing this? If people don’t like it – go somewhere else.”

In the meantime, it has been agreed Mr Cattermole will reorganise the Jubilee fireworks and flotilla independently under the banner of the Repair Café.

It will no longer be a council event but the authority agree to support the organisers in “whatever way it could”.

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Read more from this author

This story was written by Gee Harland, she joined the team in 2022 as a senior multimedia reporter.

Gee covers Wallingford, Wantage and Didcot.

Get in touch with her by emailing: Gee.harland@newsquest.co.uk

Follow her on Twitter @Geeharland

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