CIRCUSES and fairgrounds could be banned from all council land in Monklands following a major policy review.
Members of North Lanarkshire’s property sub-committee will tomorrow consider introducing the new rule – and must then immediately determine an application for a proposed circus in Coatbridge this summer.
Bobby Roberts Super Circus has applied to bring the company’s touring show to West End Park for a week at the start of July.
However, that had already been recommended for refusal after objections from Coatbridge North councillor Peter Sullivan and the council’s roads department, even ahead of any introduction of the more stringent policy.
Councillor Sullivan told the Advertiser: “The reasons for my objection is very simple – we have to consider the use of the park, which is meant to be for the public at all times.
“These things tend to cause a fair bit of damage when they’re there and it leaves us with number of repairs to carry out afterwards – every time there’s an event like this, we have to reinstate the ground.
“Coatbridge seems to be one of only a few places to allow circuses on public grassed areas; I don’t mind if it’s hard standing or private ground but the damage done to the grass thereafter isn’t fair on the public.
“I’m not keen on circuses at all because of the animals; if people like circuses, they’re entitled to their opinion, but I feel it’s unfair on animals.”
A report for councillors recommends that they “cease leasing council land for circuses and fairgrounds” because of landscape damage, anti-social behaviour and the considerable time involved in administrating such applications.
It states: “The issue of fairgrounds, circuses and one-off events has proved to be ... problematic with concerns expressed by local members, community groups and council services.
“While circuses and fairgrounds provide entertainment to the people of North Lanarkshire from locations largely within our public parks, this is frequently accompanied by other difficulties associated with anti-social behaviour and damage caused to both soft and hard landscaping.
“The rentals charged for these opportunities are regarded as being at market levels, [but] it is considered that they do not fully reflect the officer time involved in dealing with the granting of these leases.”
Members of the policy and resources sub-group will also be advised to relax the council’s stance against hot food vans by agreeing a list of approved sites for such businesses.
In Airdrie, these would be at Upper Mill Street, Laverock Road and the town’s leisure centre; and in Coatbridge, at Northburn Road, Stobcross Street and Souterhouse Road.
Previous policies had advocated “a robust policy of discouraging hot food vans on council land” due to litter and congestion, and the then-proposed introduction of car parking charges which would have affected some van sites.
While noting that the former two remain “valid considerations”, the reviewed policy states: “In the current economic climate, hot food vans provide much-needed employment in what are difficult times.
“In order to respond to the economic issues, it is perhaps appropriate that the council considers a relaxation of what was in effect a blanket ban.
“This has to take account of issues which may have an adverse effect on operational council buildings and tenants occupying space within the council’s commercial portfolio.”
The list of approved sites is intended “to resolve the dilemma between needing to provide employment and managing the council’s property portfolio”.
