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SCALED BACK: St Pauls Carnival in 2011

A ROW over cuts to Bristol’s St Pauls Carnival has deepened, with a local community group, long at loggerheads with the Carnival Committee, accusing organisers of financial mismanagement concerning the street festival.

The African-Caribbean showcase, which has run for 45 years and is scheduled for July 7, will now be moved to a smaller venue, Portland Square.

It is also being reported that the carnival could lose the chance to use outdoor sound systems.

The Carnival Committee said the carnival was scaled back because of inadequate financial backing, following factors such as cuts to Bristol City Council’s budget.

However, local community group Voices in the Communities has alleged the Carnival Committee scaled down the 2012 carnival because of financial mismanagement.

Jasmine Haque, spokesperson for Voices in the Community alleged: “They have their money secured from 2011 to 2014. They’ve misspent and mismanaged the money. Some people have lined their pockets quite nicely and think no one has noticed.

“On February 28, there was consultation to talk about carnival, but it was more like a dictation where the carnival committee told us that our carnival event is going to be downscaled. So it’s not even on the streets of St Paul’s anymore. It will only be around Portland Square. No sound systems. They’re basically taking the carnival out of carnival.”

The row has seen artistic director Julian Davis resign from the committee, saying the local community has not been kept informed.

Rebecca Gibbs, chair of the St Pauls Carnival Committee, refuted allegations of mismanagement. She said: “The allegation that Board members have misspent hard earned funds and lined their own pockets is outrageous and tantamount to slander…"

“The projected budget for a full-scale Carnival event for 2012 is set at £250,000. Staff and I have worked hard to secure funding from Bristol City Council and the Arts Council to the tune of £145,000 each year through to 2014. A funding application for a further £35,000 came back unsuccessful earlier this year, which made the full-scale event in 2012 untenable. Therefore, we are appealing for additional funding and greater community involvement to help deliver a full scale event in 2013.”

She added that a final decision has not been taken on whether sound systems will line the route.

Earlier this year, concerns were raised over the future of London’s Notting Hill Carnival after the resignation of two of its co-directors.

They claimed the carnival, held during the August Bank Holiday, lacked the necessary investment to continue. The remaining organisers have reassured the public it will continue.