Councillor Christopher Stalford

Tonight all over Ulster local communities will celebrate William, Prince of Orange's landing in Ireland by lighting the annual Eleventh of July bonfires. In recent years Belfast City Council has spearheaded a bonfire pilot scheme, aimed at improving the sites where wood is gathered and preventing excessive pollution. One of the areas included in the scheme is Annadale, where two years ago, people from outside the community used the bonfire site for illegal fly-tipping. The improvement in the site has been significant, with virtually no fly-tipping and no tires being burned. This is a positive development which I hope will continue. People should be free to celebrate their history and culture without outsiders using it as a chance to break the law.