Despite fears that the changes in Redbridge Council funding could mean the Wanstead Festival would no longer take place, the council decided on Monday evening to continue to back the event. The Health, Leisure and Older People service committee agreed to put £10,000 of council tax money behind the event, meaning it can take place as normal.
Regular readers will remember that the changes in funding, which involved the axing of the area committees, was the trigger to the community fundraising effort which raised more than £3k to pay for the Wanstead Christmas tree.
However, since the tree was put up, there have been claims on social media and elsewhere that the trees in other parts of the borough were in fact funded by the council despite the ending of the area committees. Wansteadium has been trying to get confirmation or denial of this from Redbridge Council, and will update this post if it gets it.
The following is the item from the council papers describing the Wanstead Festival.
And this is how the decision was reported via the council Twitter account.
The Committee now considers proposals for funding £65,000 of events and activities in the Borough.
— Redbridge Council (@RedbridgeLive) January 5, 2015
The events include Armed Forces Day, Wanstead Festival, Fairlop Fair, London Youth Games, LGBT History Month and Black History Month
— Redbridge Council (@RedbridgeLive) January 5, 2015
Cllr Littlewood says that these events can and have been very successful and we need to be reminded of the value of these kinds of events
— Redbridge Council (@RedbridgeLive) January 5, 2015
Cllr Nolan and Cllr Littlewood add that they would like to see a commitment for the future funding of these events.
— Redbridge Council (@RedbridgeLive) January 5, 2015
The Committee agree the report
— Redbridge Council (@RedbridgeLive) January 5, 2015
Other events which will also be funded include the following, and appear here as described in the council papers:
- London Youth Games (£1,800)
- Armed Forces Day (£5,000)
- Barley Lane ‘Our Community Festival’ (£10,000)
- Woodford Festival (£5,000)
- Fairlop Fair (£10,000)
- Town Centre Events including Ken Aston Square (£15,000)
- Celebratory/Recognition programme, ie Black History Month, LGBT History Month, Anti-Slavery (£7,200)
Good news but nothing for Music in the Park?
If the tree situation is true, may be the playground group could use this fact to try to negotiate more funds (should that be what the people of Wanstead would support – and they should 😜)
Joanne – We have already spoken to Vision RCL who maintain the outside spaces in Redbridge and they’ve confirmed that their budgets are so bad, that if equipment broke, it would have to be removed rather than replaced. They have agreed that they will maintain the playground, but we can’t rely on any money from them. I’m hoping they might find a bit to fill in gaps in our fundraising though!
On behalf of Wanstead Playground Association
http://www.wansteadplayground.co.uk
Do I see a General Election coming and Wanstead and Snaresbrook Wards guess the Labour MP is worried hence the Council giving funding
Main thing I see Tom is a Labour council getting to grips with the funding mess left by a Tory council and govt.
wansteadium try contacting the Wanstead Labour councillers for a low down on tree funds