Event Mastermind Linda Massey Explains Why
There are various stories and emails floating around about the Brentford Festival being cancelled and the reasons why this has happened. I have purposely stayed out of the discussions having been so close to the event for the past 7 years but instead Dave Viney the music Manager and John Bradley Chair of Trustees, Friends of Boston Manor were the delegation who met with the council, John Laing (JLIS) and Continental Landscapes in December last year.
The delegation asked for it to be recognised by LBH and its agents that FoBM and BFC are composed of professional people with considerable expertise and commitment to the local community. Further this commitment is given without personal financial reward and therefore additional burdens, especially of a bureaucratic nature, act as a powerful disincentive to future involvement.
We look for the support of this event from local businesses, individuals and would of course expect it from those that are charged to run our parks and open spaces and the Council themselves.
Last year, when we were advised that the land managers, JLIS wished to charge for the event to go ahead we expressed our dismay and were prepared to bring a closure to the event in 2011 as a matter of principle. We did not and do not see that Council contractors should be profiting from the efforts of members of the community putting on what is seen as a well organised event for the community. LBH came to the rescue and paid the bill which we understand to be in the region of £6,000. Not the lesser figure that has been mentioned by Hounslow and quoted in the Hounslow Chronicle recently. This makes us smart – they are already getting paid by the Council to manage the parks; council tax payers are already paying towards their public open space so to profit for the reasons mentioned did not and does not wear well with the committee.
The delegation asked three simple things.
On the first point we have learnt that Continental Landscape and JLIS will be parting company by the end of March. The contract, we understand, will be managed by JLIS in-house. From the festival point of view this means that there is no hope for progress as JLIS never responded formally to our requests. They suggested to the delegation that we charged more for the commercial element of the event which does not sit well with us and we are advised that they still require their fee.
The delegation, at their own request has now had sight of the contract that we refused to sign last year and I understand that we were right not to sign it.
It was not event specific but added bureaucracy.
…. And of course nobody was able to reach the generous deadline to save the day!
As an active member of Friends of Boston Manor it is most disappointing that we put so much effort in to improving the amenities in Boston Manor Park and that to pay the sums we understand JLIS required would mean that any future improvements within the park would be substantially reduced.
Linda Massey
If you'd like to express your views to the council please email Ruth Cadbury (Brentford Ward Councillor), Hamish Pringle (Assistant Director of Leisure and Cultural Services) and Pritam Grewal (Hounslow Councillor)
February 24, 2012
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