Too many hoops to jump through

I really feel for the members of Warwick Rocks who have worked tirelessly to get the Food and Film Festival together for this year. It is apparent they have been working against the WDC bureaucracy machine for some time, but surely it should have been an easier ride this year? Having run a very successful and well received event in 2013, why is it that this has been a battle with WDC for so many months this year? Shouldn’t the WDC events management team be ensuring there are no blocks to getting these events organised properly, and certainly not what seems to be the opposite, in that they are constantly creating new hoops to jump through.

I note also that this year has seen the evening music events in Warwick square having to finish promptly at 10pm when the area is still alive and buzzing (and barely dark in the summer months). Is this because of a further new ‘fun-destroying’ WDC policy by any chance ?!

Finally, I find it rather unbelievable that a member of the council (Cllr Sue Gallagher) finds it easier to back up the poor work of the WDC officers rather than supporting the local people who elected her. The WDC ‘significant amount of support’ quoted is apparently to mean a constant line of ever changing hurdles, altering of policies and additional financial constraints to community groups trying to organise such events. I suggest it is more of a councillor’s responsibility to work proactively in removing such barriers between local groups and the council, encouraging enterprising community groups and making sure the officers are working effectively for the local community, not against it.

Warwick continues to rock, thanks to groups like Warwick Rocks who work so hard in their own time. May you not give up, as Warwick very much appreciates you.

Dave Skinner, Warwick