Dear Mr Aniel Paranjpe

Thank you for your email dated 6 October 2016 requesting, under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, information on circuses, with performing animals, using council owned land for their shows. I apologise for the delay in replying to you.

I can confirm that Belfast City Council holds the information you have requested and has decided that it can be disclosed into the public domain. Accordingly, this information is provided below. For ease of reference, I have reproduced your queries and provided the Council’s response immediately after each query.

1) Does this this council allow circuses with performing animals that were caught in the wild, to use council owned land for its shows (or any other business)? No

2) Does the council allow circuses with performing animals that are normally wild, but were bred in captivity, to use council land for its shows? No

3) Does the council allow circuses with performing animals that are domesticated (or domestic- if you make a further distinction) to use council owned land for its shows? No

I should advise that the Council has a policy in place since 1994 to ban the use of its property by circuses using animals on the basis that it is considered that the use of such animals to be morally unacceptable - Client Services Committee February 2000.

Please note that if this information is to be published it should be attributed to Belfast City Council’s response to a Freedom of Information request, for any media queries you should contact Corporate Communications, Belfast City Council.

If you are dissatisfied with how the Council handled your request for information, you have the right to request that the Council formally review this decision. If you wish to do so, please write to the Records Manager, Chief Executive Department, Belfast City Council, City Hall, Belfast, BT1 5GS

Should you remain dissatisfied following the Council’s internal review, you can seek an independent review from the Information Commissioner. Requests for an independent review should be made in writing to: The Information Commissioner, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF. However I would advise you that the Information Commissioner has indicated that a review will not be undertaken unless the Council has first had an opportunity to re-consider its decision.

If you have any queries about this email, please contact me.

Yours sincerely

Jacqui Wilson

Business Manager