Cromer and Sheringham Crab and Lobster Festival joint president Hilary Thompson. PHOTO: ANTONY KELLY

Poll: Do you think town council should axe grants to Cromer and Sheringham Crab and Lobster Festival and Coast?

Wednesday, October 3, 2012
12:11 PM

Calls have been made for Cromer Town Council to withdraw or reduce its annual grant to two successful seaside festivals.

At Monday’s full meeting, members heard that the Cromer and Sheringham Crab and Lobster Festival would be giving away £7,500 to charity after a successful third event in May.

This year, the council gave the festival £2,000, and Greg Hayman said, once any subsidised festival was “up and running and self-supporting”, the grant could be withdrawn.

He said: “We ought to consider all our grant making.”

He added that Cromer was giving more to the crab and lobster festival and Coast than Sheringham Town Council, despite both having been joint initiatives.

Dorothy Airs agreed that the festivals should be “self-financing”.

But Hilary Thompson, a joint president of the crab and lobster festival, said: “I think it’s such a shame that the crab and lobster festival has been picked out.

“It’s very unfair. It is something that makes us feel good because we helped to make it successful. I’d like to see some more consideration from people who are talking about it.”

7 comments

Simple answer? No. When will it get through that this is the money of tax payers who might well be struggling. On average (official government figures) council tax payers contribute a quarter of their money to pay unfunded pensions for council employees. When NNDC come clean and say how much these pensions are costing we can have a sensible discussion about cutting the enormous burden of rates.

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weaversway

Thursday, October 4, 2012
The taxpayers of Cromer & Sheringham should not be funding this.These festivals are usually the province of nice middle class people, most working class taxpayers (most of us) would prefer to see the cash spent on something the majority would use;

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Mr Majika

Thursday, October 4, 2012
The NNN's straw poll above shows that the majority of people do not approve of taxpayers cash being used to fund festivals no matter how well intentioned. We elect councillors to spend OUR money wisely and in the current economic climate giving money away for anything non-essential is simply unacceptable.

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Douglas McCoy

Wednesday, October 3, 2012
The NNN's straw poll above shows that the majority of people do not approve of taxpayers cash being used to fund festivals no matter how well intentioned. We elect councillors to spend OUR money wisely and in the current economic climate giving money away for anything non-essential is simply unacceptable.

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Douglas McCoy

Wednesday, October 3, 2012
so the argument is to keep it because it makes her feel good ? STRANGE !

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Double Bill

Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Hilary and her party completely devestated youth services through Tory cuts. She said there was no money left. Will she face the youth losing their youth clubs and services and explain why she thinks a festival that has money to give away should be given the money?

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omnishambles

Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Hilary and her party completely devestated youth services through Tory cuts. She said there was no money left. Will she face the youth losing their youth clubs and services and explain why she thinks a festival that has money to give away should be given the money?

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omnishambles

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Poll: Do you think town council should axe grants to Cromer and Sheringham Crab and Lobster Festival and Coast?

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