A COUNCILLOR has questioned if Bradford needs to re-think how it celebrates Bonfire night following year after year of disorder around November 5.

Councillor Jeannette Sunderland (Lib Dem, Idle and Thackley) made the claim during a discussion into Bonfire Night disorder in the Bradford East area.

At the Bradford East Area Committee on Thursday, Councillors were given an update on the work done to tackle the annual rise in violence, vandalism and anti-social behaviour in the Halloween/Bonfire Night season.

Members were told that new methods of tackling disorder included using “community calmers” made up of local religious and community figures to disperse troublemakers.

This helped reduce incidents this year compared to previous years.

Members of the committee said that although it was good to see a fall in incidents, there were still too many people using the night as an excuse to commit crimes.

Incidents this year included a yob pouring petrol along a pelican crossing on Great Horton Road before setting it alight, and an attack on the Carlisle Hotel in Manningham by firework lobbing youths.

The committee was told that the community calmers scheme had proved so successful that it would be repeated in future years.

Emergency services begin planning for Bonfire Night in Bradford as early as Summer, and on the night firefighters are often accompanied by police.

For many calls on the night a “fire car” occupied by police and firefighters is sent to the scene before a fire engine to see if it is a genuine call or a hoax call to try and lure firefighters to an area so they can be attacked.

At the meeting Cllr Sunderland spoke of her concerns that Bonfire Night had become an excuse for people in Bradford to run wild. She said: “I’m uncomfortable burning effigies of someone on a fire.

“Look at what Bonfire Night has become in Bradford, it shouldn’t be about kids firing rockets at cars. Maybe we need to re-invent it so the day isn’t about a terrorist.

“Maybe in Bradford we should re-assess Bonfire night and make it a celebration of community spirit. Make it a celebration of who we are rather than remembering a rather unsavoury bit of history.”

Councillor Taj Salam (Lab, Little Horton) said: “Bonfire night can be a nightmare, especially around Manchester Road. The fact that a lot of the issues we normally get didn’t happen this year is quite encouraging.

“Why should our emergency services get attacked for trying to protect people?

“The most encouraging thing to hear is that the community got involved to help things. “

He said the community calmers were, in some ways, more effective than police, adding: “Sometimes sending police in won’t help. Some of these young people are just attention seekers, so when the police show up it just inflames the situation.

“When the community get involved it means that they’ll often know the children and know where they live. That puts the frighteners into young people, as police won’t necessarily know them who these young people are.”

Councillor Riaz Ahmed (Lib Dem, Bradford Moor), said: “We have to look at this problem and learn from experience of years past. We can’t let people get away with it, because if they do they’ll do it again. The community calmer idea is great, but at the same time we don’t want to create no-go areas for the police. It is great if people in the community can help, but we don’t want to give the impression of no go areas in Bradford.”

PC Phil Sanderson told the committee that local mosques had spoken out warning people to avoid getting involved in disorder during Friday Prayers before Bonfire Night. He said: “The sermons that were given were really good – fantastic.”

He said during numerous school visits the message given to police people was the serious consequences of taking part in such disorder, from images of fireworks or bonfire injuries and warnings that criminal records could hang over their heads for years to come.

Members were told that police and Trading Standards conducted numerous inspections on shops selling fireworks during the period. All the official shops were legally selling fireworks, and police say the bigger problem is “pop-up” shops selling fireworks from car boots.

Recent years have seen major disorder on Bonfire Night in Bradford. Last year a gang of around 40 yabs attacked The Red Lion pub in Thornton before moving further down the street to vandalise The Round Thorn pub. Both buildings suffered severe damage. And in 2016 riot police were called to Undercliffe following reports of cars being pelted with bricks and stones. When officers arrived they arrived they too were attacked.