More on the Folk Festival debacle

This is not the first time the Lib Dem council has created chaos out of the Folk Festival plans. Many Cambridge residents will remember the snaking queues round Market Square and local residents being turned away in the ticket fiasco of 2007. This rushed and botched attempt to solve that problem has created an even bigger one for the finances of the City Council.

Labour councillors still do not know the full story here, and if members of the Council aren't fully informed, what chance do the residents of the city have? Labour group leader Cllr Lewis Herbert commented

'Because Labour Councillors only have bits of the Folk Festival story so far, we already have a list of over 20 question that we want the city's Liberal Democrat council to answer, and we want full Councillor and independent scrutiny of what happened.'

There is to be an 'external review' commissioned by, and reporting to, the council's Chief Executive. However, Cambridge Labour Councillors believe a large number of the follw up actions are fairly obvious. Labour also wants immediate internal action by the council including publication fo what the council knows rather than delaying this. Following these releases should be a Councillor-led review covering the whole issue.

Cambridge Labour Councillors have repeatedly criticised the lack of Councillor scrutiny allowed by the Lib Dems, especially in financial areas. For some reason the council still works to the old style committee system, all run by the ruling party. This is unlike nearly all councils which have independent scrutiny often led by Opposition Councillors.

With £9.5million already lost through dubious investments in Icelandic bank Landsbanki, serious questions have to be asked about the ability of the council to manage risk, not to mention the Council Tax money of ordinary residents. A further £600,000 shortfall is going to put extra pressure on resources during these already difficult economic times.