Northern Pride 2011 Washout

I didn't go due to torrential rain, but I wasn't keen in the first place: I'd been briefly on the committee and even that was a difficult achievement: someone paid by the local authority as an "observer" manipulated things to ensure her female friend became Chair of the organisation running the festival, despite this person having little to no relevant experience. I joined them on a "ticket" for reform: the organisation has been famous for its lack of engagement and major moaning about lack of community support: They do things their way and wonder why no one wants to be involved in the planning and delivery. A regular refrain from the local authority rep is "the council wouldn't like that...". In a brilliant ploy before Christmas I was provoked to a point where I shouted down this individual at a Board meeting and then was told that they felt unable to continue the meeting with someone as aggressive as me so either I left or they would. At that point I reminded this (junior) public servant that as an "observer" it was appropriate that they left. The last laugh was theirs however, as I was informed that if they left the meeting would end because as the keyholder, they would have to lock up.

I looked at the rest of the "committee" and realised that being "nice" is far from enough and that they simply lacked what was needed to deliver a successful event, so i withdrew and waited.

I'm a bit disappointed that the heavens (spectacularly) opened yesterday as it will hide some of their short-comings and increase the possibility that they might attempt the event next year.

What's my opposition? - They make little effort to actually engage with the communities they want to participate in the event, and yield to a minor, junior, inexperienced and oftend WRONG council worker rather than trusting the communities to ensure the success of the festival. It is a public sector disease to rely on procedure over common sense.

I hope the organisation goes under and gives us another chance to produce something worthy of the "regional capital" of North East England.