Cash row throws March Summer Festival into jeopardy

A town’s most popular cultural event that was due to return bigger and better after a year’s absence is now in jeopardy.

March Summer Festival will be marking its 25th anniversary this year and its organising committee had high hopes that the event planned for three days from June 6 to 8 would be the best one yet to celebrate the landmark.

However, a bid for £20,000 of funding from the March Town Council was scuppered at Monday night’s meeting amid accusations of breaches of protocol and standing orders, and warnings of dire consequences if the cash was handed out.

Marcus Phillips, chair of the festival committee, was invited to make a presentation to councillors on plans for the summer festival 2025 following a previous attempt to make his presentation at the December meeting was thwarted again amid concerns by the town clerk, Sarah Lemmon and Cllr Jan French, that allowing him to speak would be a breach of Standing Orders.

But as Mr Phillips attempted to make his presentation he was constantly questioned by Cllr French about figures produced in a budget sheet – some of which included projected income rather than income already received.

Cllr French questioned the need to double the amount the town council has given the event in past years from £10,000 to £20,000 and asked how it could be justified.

She also pointed out money for the summer festival had not been included in the council’s budget.

Ms Lemmon said she was unaware the summer festival was going ahead this year and therefore had not made budgetary allowances for it.

However, Cllr Martin Field, a festival committee member, argued that she must have known because she had previously been the festival’s secretary, and had been party to discussions before she resigned the post.

Mr Phillips tried to explain the plans, which will include a poetry day involving published poets leading workshops with the town’s young people in schools and for them to then perform their poems on the third day of the festival, but was consistently pulled up on what he was saying.

The intimation being the festival committee was disorganised, had not properly costed the event, and also an allegation that there was £951 unaccounted for in accounts.

Mayor Gary Christy who is the festival’s treasurer said the figures he produced were based on what was in the bank account, and that he would look into the ‘missing’ cash.

Cllr French said she was sure there was “no wrong doing” but it made the town council giving money difficult as people might question the decision.

Cllr Field said the poetry day would be based around the work of Benjamin Zephaniah who had once lived in Fenland, and would add a diversity dimension to the event.

He said poets had already agreed to come along to lead the workshops and that it was an exciting addition to the festival which was well into the planning stage, as was the rest of the festival.

Mr Phillips said the committee was also aiming high with the bands booked to play the festival which had also put the costs up.

But Cllr French questioned the need to do such a thing.

As the debate rattled on former town clerk Clive Lemmon was invited to make a statement about the festival.

As town clerk Mr Lemmon had been secretary to the festival committee, he told councillors that the council’s protocol was for minutes of festival meetings to be submitted to the council.

He said that was part of the agreement that secured the town council’s funding. However, minutes had not been sent to the council and he argued therefore to give the cash would be breaching protocols and standing Orders and could put councillors in a difficult position in terms of misconduct.

A view endorsed by Cllr French.

However, Cllr Mark Purser, the festival’s secretary, said he was unaware of such a requirement and he would happily provide copies of all the minutes of past and future meetings.

Two councillors, Andrew Woollard and Tim Taylor suggested the council just give the usual £10,000 plus a bit extra to cover rising costs, but again that was argued against by Cllr French who said she could not support it as she “felt uncomfortable” about possible breaches of protocols that could land councillors in trouble with the Standards Committee.

A vote was eventually taken and it was agreed by five votes to three not to give the festival any money.

Cllr Field after the meeting claimed the whole thing was a “set up” and that for some reason people wanted to see the festival fail.

“It’s a shame because the festival is the most popular cultural event in the town. We have been planning this for over a year, and we have some very firm plans in place – unlike what was being suggested at the meeting we are organised.

“We do have other funding bids including £10,000 from the Arts Council, so we will have a committee meeting and decide how we are going to proceed,” he said.