Published: Wednesday, 28th July, 2010 12:46pm

Viking Festival loses out to Irvine

Comments (1) | Print | Email

Largs Viking Festival organisers have told of their anger over grant cuts - while Irvine's festival funding has increased.

Recently, the 'News' told how the Largs event had been granted just £5000 as North Ayrshire Council sought to "encourage the festival group to explore funding from other areas".

Yet, this was only given the go-ahead "on the condition that the Largs Viking Festival Group pay North Ayrshire Council's Ground Maintenance section the outstanding sum of £2,500 for the erection of the Viking Village in 2009".

The council's North Coast committee considered the grant levels earlier this month, where Labour councillor and festival committee chairman Alex Gallagher declared an interest but fellow councillors Elisabethe Marshall (Conservative) and Alan Hill (SNP) voted in favour of the reduced funding.

However, organiser Grahame Ross has since learned that Irvine's Marymass Festival this year received an initial common good grant of £55,000, while a further grant from Event Scotland - applied for by North Ayrshire Council - boosted that figure by another £16,000 to make a total of £71,000.

Full report in the Largs & Millport News of July 28

• Share this story with...
• 
  Twitter
• 
  Facebook
• 
  Buzz
• 
  del.icio.us
• 
  DIGG
• 
  Reddit
• 
  Stumbleupon
• 
  Feed me

Have your say. Post a comment on this article.

• hamish
  Unregistered User
  Jul 28 10 22:24
  Comment: 12694
  
  

  Pity Graeme Ross did not read the latest online commttee report of the North Coast Cttee below - thanks to the labour govment almost all peoples are facing cuts . The fund has less money .So there aint much he can do about it except fund raise or cut back
  
  " 5. Largs Common Good Fund
  
  5.1 Draft Accounts
  
  Submitted report by the Corporate Director (Finance and Infrastructure) on the draft revenue account in respect of Largs Common Good Fund for the year to 31 March 2010; and on a proposed level of grant funding for 2010/11.
  
  The Committee was advised that in the financial year 2009/10, the fund was overspent by £10,657. Income for the year suffered following a reduction in interest rates as a result of the economic recession. Grants amounting to £19,339 were distributed during the year and these were detailed in the appendix to the report.
  
  It is not anticipated that interest rates will change dramatically in the current financial year. The Fund will benefit slightly from additional interest on an increased investment following the sale of land at Routenburn. As a result, it was recommended that £14,800 be made available in 2010/11 for disbursement as grants.
  
  The Committee agreed to consider application to Largs Common Good up to a total of £14,800 in the year 2010/11."
  
  Perhaps if he paid his bill to the Council then things might be better
  Report this comment