BALLOON POLICY SO WEAK IT IS DEFLATED SAY LIB DEMS

12.09.32pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 6th Apr 2009

The Deputy Leader and Leader of the Liberal Democrat Council Group Councillors Alan Faulkner and Steve Darling have hit out at a proposed policy on not releasing balloons at Torbay council events. Their criticism is that the policy is so weak that it is meaningless.

The policy is designed to minimise the impact of balloons on marine life such as dolphins and birds which are known to have been killed by balloons that have been released.

The policy that is being discussed at Cabinet on the 14th April only applies to Torbay Council run events. Events on Council properties and land but run by other organisations will still be able to release balloons.

Deputy Leader Councillor Alan Faulkner said, "This policy is a real wasted opportunity. Balloon releases on council properties and land should have been banned - this halfway house is pointless."

Liberal Democrat Group Leader Councillor Steve Darling said, "I was amazed when I saw this item on the Cabinet Agenda. Seven years ago, when there was a proposed balloon release at a Torbay Council Children's Services event, I was assured that balloon releases at council run events would be stopped, so this policy does not seem to be anything new. If the Conservative run Council were serious about this issue they would lead from the front like Conservative controlled Oxfordshire County Council have done and ban balloon releases on council owned property and land. As with all environmental issues, the Conservatives say the right things, but the actions fall short."