Balloons considered a safety risk by Solihull Council

Nov 25 2009 by Sophie Cross, Birmingham Post

Solihull Council has been condemned by the town's MP for threatening a couple with legal action for displaying balloons outside their shop.

Solihull MP Lorely Burt, also the Liberal Democrat spokesperson for small businesses, said she was “absolutely apoplectic” to discover highways bosses had told Diane and Derek Betts that the balloons they had put up to advertise their business posed a health and safety risk.

Officials told the couple, who run Shirley-based Bespoke Home and Flooring, that a rogue balloon could break loose and cause a child to chase it into traffic, or could distract drivers and cause an accident.

“I really do think [the council] needs to get a grip on what’s important,” said Mrs Burt.

“Of all the things that a company trying to promote itself in the middle of a recession needs to worry about, certainly the council threatening them with the Highways Act for having balloons outside their shop should be the last thing.”

Mrs Betts, aged 41, said: “A few months ago they came in and asked if we could take down the balloons off a lamp post because they could distract drivers, which we did. Then they said we had to take them off our A board.”

She added: “If you drive up the Stratford Road you see balloons everywhere. During a recession, when trading is really difficult they are a great advertising tool for us.

“I’ve got children myself and obviously wouldn’t want to put a child at risk, but the chances of that happening seem so slim. We tie them on so they are secure.

“As a small business we want to work with the council and adhere to the rules.

“We wrote to them on October 24 asking under what legislation they could take legal action and have still not heard back.”

Mr Betts, aged 45, called their experiences “officialdom gone mad”.

A spokesperson for Solihull Council said: “We are not banning balloons, we are simply trying to take a common sense approach to keeping one of borough’s busiest streets as clear and useable for everyone.

“This has arisen because, despite Mr and Mrs Betts having a permit to place one ‘A-board’ on the pavement outside their shop, they have been placing three, blocking the way for pedestrians, people with prams, people in wheelchairs etc. They have also been attaching clusters of balloons, not only to the boards but also onto nearby lampposts.

“We have asked them to remove the balloons from the lampposts and have advised them that it would be better for them not to place them on the ‘A-boards’ as well, as they can blow off and could be a distraction for drivers.

“We would like Mr and Mrs Betts to talk to us directly, so that we can resolve the situation.”