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Fireworks hope goes up in smoke
11:11am Thursday 14th February 2008
Comments (40)THE home city of Guy Fawkes could yet again have no public bonfire and fireworks this year, after York councillors rejected plans for a civic display.
York Tourism Bureau chief Gillian Cruddas today reacted with dismay, saying the city was in danger of missing out on global publicity.
There was international derision last year when York, the birthplace of gunpowder plotter Fawkes, was left with no public bonfire celebrations.
But ruling Liberal Democrats at cash-strapped City of York Council have decided against spending £50,000 on a display - meaning residents can once again forget, forget the fifth of November.
Only 7.5 per cent of people who took part in the budget consultation supported the outlay on a display, and the Lib Dems opted not to include it in their proposals for 2008/09, which will be debated next Thursday.
Mrs Cruddas said: "We're disappointed by this news.
"Fireworks would provide the potential for worldwide publicity for York because of the city's connection with Guy Fawkes.
"This would lead to increased income for the city. It's a missed opportunity for York and we would urge any private organisations which could fund a celebration to get in touch with us."
The council has rarely organised fireworks in recent years but, until last year, residents could attend alternatives at York City FC's ground or in Heslington.
Last year, the long-running Heslington event was cancelled because organisers could not find an insurer willing to cover it, while the football club could not get a safety certificate.
The Heslington event is virtually certainly off again this year, but York City director Sophie McGill offered some hope.
She said: "It's certainly something we would be interested in hosting, but we may need some assistance and guidance from the local authority."
The club does not currently have a fire safety officer, and Ms McGill said a lot of work would need to be done before any event.
Christian Vassie, the council's executive member for leisure and culture, said: "Fireworks displays are great fun to see, but our budget priorities are very tight in City of York Council, and if we have a choice between trying to tackle climate change and having a great bonfire and firework display it is a difficult choice.
"I think we are right to celebrate Guy Fawkes as part of our heritage, but given the priorities that are facing the city, I can understand why the decision has been taken as it has."
Coun Vassie said fireworks were also environmentally damaging, but said one large display would be better than many small private ones across the city.
Coun Paul Healey, Tory spokesman for leisure and culture, said: "It's disappointing the city is not able to recognise one of its most infamous sons and the Conservatives look forward to working with all parties to ensure we do not have another year without a fireworks display."
Labour leader Coun David Scott was unable to say whether Labour would support funding for fireworks.
Festivals safe
ALTHOUGH there may be no civic fireworks party in York, the Lib Dems have protected other popular celebrations.
The council considered cutting funding for City of Festivals, which could have sounded the death knell for events such as the Festival of the Rivers, York Music Live and Dance York.
A fifth of those who took part in the budget consultation voted for such a £57,000 cut, that would have reduced the number of festivals and community events.
The Lib Dems also opted against a £15,000 cut in funding for York Theatre Royal, which would have resulted in less youth work and studio performances.
York Tourism Bureau chief executive Gillian Cruddas said the organisation was "very pleased" that City of Festivals and York Theatre Royal funding had been supported.
Unit spared axe
CAMPAIGNERS have spoken of their relief after a vital mental health unit in York was saved from drastic budget cuts.
The closure of the Sycamore House drop-in centre was touted as a way of saving City of York Council £111,000.
But the suggestion sparked dismay from customers, and the ruling Lib Dems have now pledged to keep it open. Coupled with a similar pledge from the Labour opposition, the announcement means the centre is now safe.
Maggie Bennett of the Sycamore House Customer Group told councillors: "We are both relieved and delighted that you do not intend to pursue the proposal."
She presented a petition against the closure anyway, and complained that customers had not been consulted about the suggestion before it was published in the budget papers.
Your Say YourYork Press
h, says...
11:22am Thu 14 Feb 08
andyb, york says...
11:42am Thu 14 Feb 08
Voice of reason, York says...
11:52am Thu 14 Feb 08
rtj, YO says...
12:05pm Thu 14 Feb 08
Captain Jack Sparrow, Strensall says...
12:29pm Thu 14 Feb 08
11% councillor pay rises and £145,000 on a Chief Exec who doesn't have to bring home any bacon.
Diligentia maximum etiam mediocris ingeni subsidium
mixmaster1984, York says...
1:35pm Thu 14 Feb 08
oli4uk, York says...
1:39pm Thu 14 Feb 08
Christian Vassie, the council's executive member for leisure and culture, said: "Fireworks displays are great fun to see, but our budget priorities are very tight in City of York Council, and if we have a choice between trying to tackle climate change and having a great bonfire and firework display it is a difficult choice.
This is absolutely disgraceful, and it is nice to see them using climate change as an excuse yet again.
For a tourist city we need to keep up public events, they bring in a huge amount of money. If we do not do this we will see this city go down quicker than leeds united.
Cutting these events is simply ensuring we receive less money from tourists in future years, less money spent now could incurr a huge reduction in the future.
It gets even worse when the council takes down public events such as that at kit kat crescent. I attended a number of 'community' bonfires on the streets around york and saw three or four fireworks go into the crowds at each one, these would not ahve been so numerous if there had been a proper display within the city.
Next election I will most definately not be voting Lib Dem, and I hope that others will join me in getting this farce of a party out of this city.
I like their policies but year upon year they back track on policies and make idiotic decisions.
mixmaster1984, york says...
1:42pm Thu 14 Feb 08
D Armstrong, On the bommie says...
1:58pm Thu 14 Feb 08
misskittie, York says...
2:10pm Thu 14 Feb 08
misskittie, York says...
2:11pm Thu 14 Feb 08
ataxidriver, york says...
2:48pm Thu 14 Feb 08
General Fund income of £344.1m, £3.1m more than was needed to fund
expenditure. The surplus is transferred to general fund balances, which now total £13.480m. However,
of this total £5.778m relates to the amount held by governors under schemes to finance schools and so
is not available for any other purposes. The sum available to support other services is therefore
£7.702m.
What are they doing with our money??
Uncle Tony, York says...
3:13pm Thu 14 Feb 08
loxten, York says...
3:23pm Thu 14 Feb 08
Personally I think a firework display would be good but I'd rather spend it on clean streets or mental health rather than a 15 minute display that leaves no legacy and does not improve people's lives. What we seem to have in York is a deficit of £2million plus - so the empty rhetoric of "a paltry £50k" is exactly that - short-sighted and ill-informed.
What an absolutely pathetic level of debate on this subject by small minded petty readers.
BeeUK, York says...
3:23pm Thu 14 Feb 08
what???, york says...
3:46pm Thu 14 Feb 08
If they were actually trying to cut money then you would not see the annual end of financial year splurge on doing any sort of roadworks they can find to get rid of their budget allocation from the past year.
Yes I have previously worked in the Public Sector and know the mentality of the managers who will waste money at the end of the year rather than risk having their budget chopped in the coming year.
If York council spent money wisely there would be no problem.
Voice of reason, York says...
3:51pm Thu 14 Feb 08
What an absolutely pathetic level of debate on this subject by small minded petty readers.
If you'd bothered to read ALL of them, you would see that some of us agree with you (although not quote being as harsh as yourself)
exYorkist, USA says...
4:17pm Thu 14 Feb 08
shaggy, york says...
4:35pm Thu 14 Feb 08
On Topic, says...
4:51pm Thu 14 Feb 08
cutemloosebruce, York says...
5:29pm Thu 14 Feb 08
Student, says...
5:37pm Thu 14 Feb 08
cutemloosebruce, York says...
6:25pm Thu 14 Feb 08
Student wrote:No a campaign to burn students!
Why is it that we have to choose between public enjoyment or saving the world from "climate change" - They could at least have the decency to say we aren't having one because they don't want us to have one. What next, a campaign to ban fireworks?
KarenWhite1978, Heslington says...
6:26pm Thu 14 Feb 08
sayitasitis, YORK says...
7:09pm Thu 14 Feb 08
andyb, york says...
7:19pm Thu 14 Feb 08
These gave lasting memories, wonderful entertainment and a sense of civic pride.
£50000 is a small price to pay for that.
ALD, York says...
7:21pm Thu 14 Feb 08
Franky, York says...
7:22pm Thu 14 Feb 08
If Gillian Cruddas is so disappointed, she should fund it herself, or out of her deep tourism pockets!
And if other towns and cities do it, then anyone in York who wants it has plenty of places they could go and see it!
dubber, york says...
7:55pm Thu 14 Feb 08
D Armstrong wrote:super comment hit the nail on the head
Blooming disgraceful Guy Fawkes was born here, what closer link do we need to celebrate the occasion? Bet the rest of the country think we are a joke.
yorkred, wigginton says...
8:38pm Thu 14 Feb 08
charge a nominal admission fee ( to fund it)and make it the biggest display in the country,
any suggestions!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!! !
Paul Hepworth, York says...
9:55pm Thu 14 Feb 08
TeeBo, York says...
10:11pm Thu 14 Feb 08
No fun for Yorks kids again!!!!!!
Perhaps the councillors would like to volunteer to be the guy at my firworks night party!!!!
bjb, York says...
10:32pm Thu 14 Feb 08
It is does not attract tourists to come and spend, in fact it brings movement around the city to a halt. The only people that get anything out of it is the burger bar near the bridge.
The sooner fireworks are banned, the sooner the the NHS, police and fire brigade do not have to deal with pointless incidents. BT will be happy that they can save money on not having phone boxes wrecked, and pets don't have to suffer.
Acomb Resident, Acomb says...
10:39pm Thu 14 Feb 08
I suspect that the vast Majority of York Council Tax payers, whom only a minority would see any display, would judge it as a complete waste of money.
As for Christmas lights which at least offer a more protracted feeling of 'Joy' to get everyone into the Christmas spirit, would get my vote. £50,000 on a few sparks and bangs? No thanks, I would be at work anyway.
ataxidriver, york says...
12:37am Fri 15 Feb 08
KarenWhite1978 wrote:You didnt care what it cost when you were 10, its people like you that ruin this city, what about the citizens who are 10 you tight so and so you have the same mentality as that waster galloway
Excellent news. I don't want to see my council tax go up in smoke. Personally I loved fireworks - when I was 10. I've grown up now - perhaps others should follow my example.
On Topic, says...
5:23am Fri 15 Feb 08
You didnt care what it cost when you were 10, its people like you that ruin this city, what about the citizens who are 10 you tight so and so you have the same mentality as that waster gallowayBuy a bumper box and let them off in your garden. Or are you a 'tight so and so' too?
Fellowtraveller1, Scarborough says...
8:20am Fri 15 Feb 08
On Topic wrote:I agree with those that see fireworks as a waste of money. But please give Guy Fawkes some credit - unlike many, he entered Parliament with honest intentions.
We complain about rising council tax, we can't have it all ways. Anyway, Guy Fawkes was a terrorist, why should we want to celebrate the fact that he was born in York??
cutemloosebruce, York says...
8:32pm Fri 15 Feb 08
KarenWhite1978 wrote:Yeah, and when you were ten did the council put on a public display. Probably. So what about the kids in York now?
Excellent news. I don't want to see my council tax go up in smoke. Personally I loved fireworks - when I was 10. I've grown up now - perhaps others should follow my example.
magicman!, york says...
1:28am Sat 16 Feb 08
But ruling Liberal Democrats at cash-strapped City of York Council have decided against spending £50,000 on a display - meaning residents can once again forget, forget the fifth of November.
Yes, they prefer to have an 11% pay increase, so as to be able to have three bentley's on the driveway and fly to spain 8 times a year as opposed to actually doing anything for the residents of this city.
Perhaps a Mutiny is in order?!
Spectators watch Bonfire Night fireworks from The Esplanade on the banks of the River Ouse in York
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i am the stig, in my car says...
11:20am Thu 14 Feb 08
One more reason why I will never vote Lib Dem, ever!
I see from the story they are keen to save all the minority festivals, but anything home grown such as bonefire night, forget it.