Notting Hill Carnival will go ahead this year after it received nearly £1 million in emergency funding from nearby local authorities after the government failed to respond to organisers’ calls for more support. This year’s Carnival – over the August bank holiday of Sunday, August 24 and Monday, August 25 – was in jeopardy after a review pointed to “critical public safety concerns” around crowd control, which required additional funding for security.
Organisers pleaded in vain for government support, only to be told ministers would reply “in due course” without any funding offered. Now, Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster councils have both contributed to fulfil the shortfall – but it has been made clear the funding will be for one year only.
Deputy leader of Kensington and Chelsea Council, Kim Taylor-Smith, said the funding had only been given as the government had “not yet indicated any support is forthcoming”. He added: “Given the evolution of Carnival, it has grown so much since the first event on the streets of Notting Hill in 1966, we really do hope Government recognises its importance to the community and will lend its support for the future.
“This council is now facing significant funding pressures over the next three years, with budget gaps of around £80 million. So, we have to be really clear that this is additional funding for this year only.” In a statement, Carnival organisers said: “Although this support comes just weeks before the event, it is a much-needed and welcome commitment.”
Crowd safety remains an ‘ongoing concern’ to the Metropolitan Police despite the last-minute funding. Dep Ass Commissioner Matt Ward said: “We welcome the news that some additional funding has now been secured. However, we must acknowledge that with just six weeks to go a lot of hard work is still required to mitigate all of the risks identified.”
Last week, The Telegraph reported that hundreds of elite protection officers from Scotland Yard – usually tasked with guarding Royal family members, senior politicians and VIPs – are being drafted in to support police at this year’s Notting Hill Carnival.
A source told the newspaper: “They are highly trained, highly experienced specialists, and so are not happy about being told they have to do basic public order policing. They will essentially be working as glorified stewards but they don’t have any choice in the matter. It’s an order from the top but it could hardly be less welcome.
“Notting Hill is the least popular job of the year. It’s not an exaggeration to say that the vast majority of officers hate working at Notting Hill, even those who do regular public order work.”
Notting Hill Carnival will take place on Sunday, August 24, and Monday, August 25.
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