“It happens; incompetence is rewarded more often than not.”
Jeff Lindsay, Darkly Dreaming Dexter
Barely a week goes by without our council protesting about cuts; here follows two tales of just how careless they can be with your money.
How Not To Run A Festival
In the wider districts, there is a feeling that these areas have had a raw deal. So, the survival of the Bingley Music Festival seems a notable exception although it appears to have had a stay of execution in recent years with a patchy financial performance.
In 2015 the festival cost £1,010,054 to run, but only brought in £946,380, leaving a deficit of £63,674. In 2016 the cost was £1,044,633, but due to plummeting attendance the income was only £822,143 – leaving a deficit of £222,490. 2017 cost £1,115,126 to put on, and brought in £1,327,602 – making a profit of £212,476. (T&A 26/8/18)
It seemed that the Council had finally got the model right in 2017 admittedly aided by better weather, which had been stated a negative factor in 2016, although most ticket income is forward booked. Re 2017’s event Steve Hartley, Strategic Director of Place, said: “Bingley Music Live is always an excellent event, but this years was truly brilliant. The festival wouldn’t have been such a success without the dedication of staff and volunteers…” (T&A 5/9/17)
Onwards and upwards then? Professionally run Bingley Music Live should be a massive asset to the local economy, from bars and restaurants even down to local sports clubs, generating much needed income from renting out camping spots. Money is tight though so, referring to the 2017 event, the T&A wrote: The popular event usually gets a taxpayer subsidy of between £60,000 and £200,000 a year, depending on attendance, but bosses at cash-strapped Bradford Council had said they would have to consider ditching it in future if it didn’t break even this year. (25/10/17)
Having finally turned the corner into profit, what did they do next? They upped the ante and went for bigger acts with 2018 headlined by Noel Gallagher’s High-Flying Birds, Jake Bugg and Shed Seven. Councillor Sarah Ferriby (Healthy People and Places Portfolio) said: “The line-up for this year’s festival is so good it’s no wonder that all the weekend tickets have been snapped up in record time. It’s looking likely that this year’s festival will be a sell out so I would urge people who are wanting a ticket to hurry up before it’s too late.” (T&A 23/7/18) Throw in the hottest summer for decades and a sure-fire winner guaranteed.
The T&A (aka Council PR machine) again: That’s great news for festival fans and up-and-coming musicians who this year get to share the limelight with big names such as Noel Gallagher. What better showcase could there be for local talent than to play to an appreciative audience? No wonder tourism is worth more than £600m a year to the Bradford economy and supports more than 13,500 jobs. (14/4/18)
There was more to follow. Naturally some people will say there are plenty of better ways to spend taxpayers’ money than supporting a music festival. But consider this: tourism is worth more than £600m a year to the Bradford economy and supports more than 13,500 jobs. (Haven’t I read this somewhere before?) And with last years (2017) event making a profit to the tune of £212,476 the council’s investment is starting to look like a very shrewd deal. (27/8/18)
At which point reality bites. In response to a Freedom of Information request for a summary of income and expenditure, here is the reply. The provisional 2018-19 Outturn Account indicates an expected loss of at least £200,000 Figures will be finalised in the Council’s 2018/19 Financial Year Closedown of Accounts.
You might reasonably wonder how they achieved a swing of over £400k especially given all the factors in the gift of the Council last summer. Equally, the fact that they are unable to pin down a final number should be cause for concern; are they juggling numbers behind the scenes or is it simply gross incompetence?
Either way, whatever the final figure published, who will carry the can given that the festival’s future could once again be in jeopardy, not due to its commercial potential but inept management?
Local MP Philip Davies commented to The Trumpit: “There is no justification or need for a festival such as this to be running at a loss and Bradford Council should ensure any financial risk is transferred to an events company. Any losses for an event like this cannot be conceived at a time when Bradford Council tells us that its budgets are under such pressure.”
When I went back to the Council to challenge the lack of a precise number and here is their response: Regarding the final financial information for Bingley Music Live 2018 please note the Quarter 4 Financial Report will be reported to the Council’s Executive on Tuesday 2nd April 2019.
How To Feed Consultants
A few weeks ago I commented on the aborted planes to develop a sports facility on the site of the King George V playing fields, the gateway to Hapless Hinchcliffe’s Bolton Woods Village – see here. I promised to let you know how much the Council had blown on…doing nothing. Here is a quite staggering reply.
Further to your FOI request made on 1st March 2019…direct costs to date total £80,214.80 plus an outstanding commitment of £3,644.35.
These costs cover fees, surveys and site investigations.
In both cases the responsible body is the Department of Place, Sport & Culture, Bradford Council.
Will any heads roll?
Teff says
No…..