ROOKSDOWN Parish Council has announced that an annual fireworks event will not take place this year.

The announcement follows the news that the annual Mayor’s fireworks event at War Memorial Park has been scrapped due to falling attendance figures which meant that no money was raised for the charity appeal last year.

Mayor of Basingstoke and Deane, Councillor Anne Court, said: “Unfortunately the increase in other community firework nights locally has seen the number of people attending drop to as low as 4,000.”

And now the chairman of Rooksdown Parish Council, Cllr Paul Mahoney, has announced that the “difficult decision” not to hold the community’s annual fireworks event has been taken because of safety fears.

Cllr Mahoney said the venue for previous events – Rooksdown Park – is currently being redeveloped to create a new play area for children, as well as the construction of new homes opposite the site.

He said: “Over the last few years the Rooksdown Firework event has gone from strength to strength and is now one of Rooksdown’s most popular events, but this brings with it some organisational difficulties.

“Although this decision was made prior to the cancellation of the Mayor's fireworks, that announcement only further convinced us that the Parish Council decision was the right one.”

Cllr Mahoney confirmed that planning has already began for an event in 2016.

He added: “Rooksdown Firework event is designed for the benefit (of) the Rooksdown community and its residents. How we successfully run a local community event that is both enjoyable and safe will be our focus for the firework event in 2016.”

What do you think of the move to stop the annual fireworks event? Use the comment facility below or email newsdesk@basingstokegazette.co.uk.