Bonfire bill reduced this summer

A total of 2,555 went up in smoke this year compared to 7,974 in 2008/9.

Roughly 34,600 was spent cleaning up bonfires on Council-owned property in Londonderry over the past six years.

But the public bill for cleaning up traditional bonfires here was relatively modest in comparison to other parts of the province.

And the repair bill dipped substantially year-on-year from 7,974 to 2,555.

The Minister of the Environment Edwin Poots detailed the total costs incurred by each local council for cleaning and repairing bonfire sites during the summer of 2010 in response to an Assembly question.

He revealed Limavady Borough Council spent just 805 on bonfire repairs whilst Strabane District Council - alongside Newry and Mourne and Fermanagh - incurred no cost whatsoever.

The total bill across Northern Ireland was 158,333 with Belfast bonfires costing a third of this with 53,704.

The Council expenditure does not include that spent by other statutory agencies such as Roads Service.

Last year a nationalist bonfire in Londonderry cost Roads Service nearly one quarter of the entire clean up bill for Northern Ireland.

The August 15 internment bonfire on the Lecky Road in the Bogside cost the Department of Regional Development (DRD) 20,000 in road repairs.

Meanwhile, Derry City Council, along with Strabane and Omagh, plan to create a strategy for bonfires, and want to hear from the local community.

FGS McClure Watters have been commissioned by the North West Peace III Cluster (Derry City Council, Strabane Council and Omagh Council) to develop a strategy for bonfires - the aim of which will be to manage bonfires in each of the three council areas.

As part of this project, surveys are being conducted that focus on the views of local people in areas where bonfires are lit.

The survey can be completed online at http://www.smart-survey.co.uk/v.asp?i=25468piouk