My own experience with bonfires isn't a good one for personal reasons, but I can still recognise there is good work being done across many bonfire sites to ensure they are as safe and respectful as possible. That fact is often lost in the discourse. 1/9 I've met bonfire builders in my own constituency, and what I've found are young people who simply want to express their culture in a positive way, where community safety and respect are paramount. They're not the sectarian boogeymen that many like to portray them as. 2/9

Tonight the Alliance Party brought a motion to committee on the "Vital Role of Trees", admirable of course but there are more than a few flaws... 1/9 🧵 Belfast City Council has already adopted the Belfast Tree Strategy & the Belfast Tree Establishment Strategy (<2023). Both are incredibly important pieces of research & adopted policy, which clearly outlines our commitment to delivering nature recovery in an urban environment 2/9