Share your views on disposable barbecues, lanterns and balloons

Should disposable barbecues continue to be banned from our beaches and parks?

What about releasing lanterns and balloons? We want to hear your views.

Currently, single-use, disposable barbecues are banned in and on council-owned land – that includes the beach and seafront as well as parks and open spaces. Under the current arrangement, anyone caught using one may be issued with a fine of £100.

Stand-alone, reusable barbecues can be used in certain spaces.

Similarly, the release of balloons and sky lanterns on land owned by the council are also currently banned and subject to a £100 fine.

These single-use items pose a fire risk, as well as a risk of harm to people, animals and the environment. They also cost taxpayer money to clear up.

Following a public consultation, which received overwhelming support, the council introduced a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) in July 2022 to stop the use of single-use, disposable barbecues and the release of lanterns and balloons in or on council-owned parks, open spaces and the seafront.

The PSPO expires in August 2025, so we’re now asking you whether we should extend it.

Do you think people should be allowed to use single-use, throw-away barbecues, lanterns and balloons on our beaches, or in parks and open spaces?

Please take 10 minutes to share your views in our public survey by Sunday 20 July.

Councillor Tim Rowkins, Cabinet member for Net Zero & Environmental Services, said: “The deliberate release of balloons and lanterns into the environment is irresponsible, given the impact they can have on wildlife and ecosystems.

"Enjoyable as it may be to have a barbecue on the beach or in your local park, the disposable ones can damage the ground and can be problematic to dispose of given the fire risk. There are also more sustainable, reusable alternatives available.

“When the council last consulted on this, there was overwhelming public support to tackle these issues, but it’s important we hear what you think now. Should we continue to ban disposable barbecues, balloons and lanterns?”

Issues with single-use, disposable barbecues

  • They pose a significant fire risk if not disposed of correctly, and regularly result in bins catching fire
  • They present a risk of injury to people and animals
  • If not set up correctly, they can scorch and damage the environment around them
  • When they’re not disposed of properly, the taxpayer has to pay for the tidy-up

Find out more about the current restrictions on single-use, disposable barbecues.   

Issues with releasing lanterns and balloons

  • Once released, they cannot be found and disposed of in a safe way, which means it is left to the council to clear them up
  • There is no way of ensuring the lantern is extinguished before reaching the ground, which means it poses a fire risk
  • Lanterns and balloons return to the ground as litter, putting animals, birds and marine wildlife at risk of death, injury and entrapment

Find out more about the current restrictions on balloons and sky lantern releases.