County Council cuts funding to 'flagship' Northampton festival

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 6th Apr 2009

Responding to a decision by Northamptonshire County Council to cut its funding to the Northampton Carnival, the county's largest diversity festival, Borough Council Spokesperson for Culture Brendan Glynane (Lib Dem, Delapre) said:

"This latest decision at County Hall really beggars belief.

"The Conservatives' own Cabinet Committee papers describe the Carnival as the 'largest diversity festival in the county' with potential to become 'one of the county's biggest flagship and tourist events'.

"This latest cut shows that we really are into slash-and-burn territory where culture and the arts are concerned.

"As a much larger authority than the Borough, the County Council should be taking a lead on helping pioneering arts charities through these tough economic times."

"The Borough Council is already doing its bit, with its £1 million support to the Royal & Derngate and extra funding to the Fishmarket.

"People would expect the County to be doing its bit too to help grassroots charities like the Northampton Carnival Arts Collective stay afloat - now of all times."

County Hall's move to withdraw £12,000 from the festival came at its Community Funding Cabinet Committee (CFCC) meeting of 12th March, just a month after the Northampton Carnival Arts Collective had been praised for its work in attracting over 10,000 customers to the Carnival in 2008.

You can check out the Chron's front page today on funding cuts to the Carnival by clicking on:

http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/Fears-for-future-of-town.5143484.jp.