Bailey Park pop concert still to be decided
Abergavenny Chronicle - 6 February 2003
LIZ DAVIES REPORTS
ABERGAVENNY town councillors are to hold further discussions on a controversial proposal to hold a Summer pop concert at the town’s
Bailey Park put forward by Monmouthshire County Council.
Town councillors met behind closed doors on Monday, to learn more about the proposals from Bryn y Cwm area manager, Dale Roberts,
Monmouthshire County Council officer Tim Bradfield and Esther Field, a representative of the NPSCC - the charity which is set to
benefit from the concert, which would replace the annual It’s a Knockout event.
Following the meeting, it was decided that further information was
needed before a decision could be taken on whether to support the proposal, and it is now due to be discussed at
the next meeting of the full council.
The proposals were also due to be discussed at a meeting of Monmouthshire County Council’s cabinet two weeks ago, but were
withdrawn before the meeting to allow for consultation with Abergavenny Town Council.
If given the go-ahead by the county council the concert could see an audience of up to 10,000 attracted to Bailey
Park - a prospect which has already caused concern to some local residents.
The concert itself is the brainchild of the NSPCC - which for the past 11 years has run the successful It’s a
Knockout contest at Bailey Park - and Valleys Radio and would see Monmouthshire County Council providing ‘up front’ funding,
with proceeds from ticket sales used as income to offset costs.
It is anticipated that the total cost of organising the event would be in the region of £79,000 - which would include a
£8,000 donation to the NSPCC and a £1,000 fee for a volunteer co-ordinator - with a likely income of around £76,000.
In a Monmouthshire County Council report, it was conceded that the outcome of the event was ‘likely’ to be a loss of £3,000, which could
rise to as much as £20,000 should the event have to be cancelled at a late stage.
Despite the possible financial risks, it was stated that a ‘successful event would bring benefits to the local economy’
and provide local organisations, including Monmouthshire County Council, the opportunity
to ‘promote their services’.
Doubts about the proposal have already been raised by local councillors, including County Councillor Alan
Breeze, who is Abergavenny’s Mayor.
In a written response due to be presented to MCC’s cabinet, Councillor Breeze expressed ‘serious reservations’
about the viability of proposal and said that he could see so many problems arising that he
felt unable to support it.
“One of my main concerns is the matter of principal and precedent - should Monmouthshire County
Council give a large sum of money for the NSPCC, including
£1,000 to a local organiser, when other organisations run events on a
purely voluntary basis and give any profits to various charities?” said Councillor Breeze.
Expressing concern at the potential financial loss, he warned that many local events had
lost money due to bad weather during the Summer months in recent years.
He also pointed out that Bailey Park was surrounded by houses and that the concert
would cause ‘serious disturbance’ to residents as well as ‘considerable problems with security,
toilet provision, access and car parking’.
“I do not believe the ‘benefits to the local economy will outweigh these problems,” warned
Councillor Breeze.
The proposal is due to be discussed by town councillors next Wednesday and by county councillors at a meeting
of the authority’s cabinet later this month.
Related articles:
* Pop concert plan for NSPCC in Bailey Park - 16/01/03
* Town council against Bailey Park pop concert - 20/02/03
* No pop concert this year at Bailey Park - 20/03/03
