Latest news with #funding
BBC News
4 hours ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Notting Hill Carnival's lack of funding 'a significant concern'
The Metropolitan Police has said it is "significantly concerned" that Notting Hill Carnival is yet to secure "essential funding" with only a matter of weeks until the event. The comments, made in the London Policing Board agenda, explain that "crowd safety needs to be addressed", and calls for effective stewarding. The concerns come after a leaked letter to the BBC showed that carnival organisers felt the event could be in doubt without "urgent funding" from the government. Carnival chair Ian Comfort has written to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy to request the funding, which he said was "essential to safeguarding the future and public safety of this iconic event". The government is yet to respond, and has told media it will "respond to the letter in due course".The Met Police's Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist previously raised concerns of a "mass casualty event" due to crowd density. Running out of time The new comments from the Met Police highlight the force's worries over the event going ahead. The Met said: "With each week that passes, the ability to successfully implement the phase one recommendations become more challenging as event management companies will be hesitant to take on an event at such short notice without a sufficient lead in time."Phase one recommendations focus on event management and crowd said, however, that its own plans for policing the event were "well underway", and said that planning began "as soon as last year's carnival concluded".As part of its policing operation for the 2024 carnival, the Met had about 7,000 officers on duty, drawn from local policing teams as well as specialist units, with a total of around 14,000 officer shifts across the whole event. The latest concerns from the Met follow a review of the festival, which attracts about two million people over the August Bank Holiday weekend, which identified "critical public safety concerns" that needed additional funding to address, the letter independent safety review was commissioned by the carnival's organisers and paid for at a cost of £100,000 by the Greater London Authority (GLA), Kensington and Chelsea Council and Westminster safety review's full findings and recommendations have not been made public. In the leaked letter, Mr Comfort wrote that a failure to secure immediate additional funding "risks compromising public safety and jeopardising the future of the carnival".He did not put a number on the level of funding Comfort said that while the Greater London Authority and the two councils had provided "substantial support" for stewarding during past festivals, they could no longer meet the "growing operational requirements identified in the review". The government has supported Carnival through bodies such as Arts Council it is understood that if the organisers' request is granted, it would mark the first time direct government funding has been provided.
Washington Post
12 hours ago
- Business
- Washington Post
British sports get $1.2B from government to help host major events
LONDON — British sport is getting a cash injection of more than 900 million pounds ($1.2 billion) from the government to help with the staging of big events such as the men's European Championship soccer tournament and Grand Departs in the Tour de France. The money will also be used to help deliver a bid by soccer federations in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales to host the Women's World Cup in 2035, the government said Thursday in announcing the funding commitment.
CTV News
15 hours ago
- Business
- CTV News
Funding not approved for multi-use rec centre in Ingersoll
Ingersoll's long-awaited multi-use recreation centre has hit a roadblock after the town failed to get provincial funding. The $38 million project has been in the works since 2019. The town recently asked the Ministry of Sport for a $10 million boost, through its Community Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Fund, but their application was not approved. 'It's extremely disappointing and sad that the province failed to see what this funding and project means to our community and our partners,' Mayor Brian Petrie said in a media release. The funding, he explained, would have had a significant impact on advancing local, regional and provincial goals. 'While the town acknowledges that many projects were submitted for funding, it is difficult to understand how such a comprehensive and broadly beneficial initiative did not meet the criteria for support,' the release said. ingersoll mult-use rec centre Rendering of multi-use rec centre. (Youtube/TownofIngersoll) Project details The state-of-the-art facility will be built on the newly-secured 78 acres of land on the southeast edge of the town, near Clarke Road and Harris Street. The acquisition also included a generous donation from Grobrook Farms in 2023. 'Site preparation begins this year, including water, wastewater and utilities,' Michael Graves, Ingersoll's CAO, said in a YouTube video posted to the town's website earlier this year. ingersoll mult-use rec centre Aerial view of the land where the project is set to be built on. (Youtube/TownofIngersoll) The plan for the rec complex included a walking track, gymnasium, single pad arena with an option to double it, multi-purpose hall and community rooms. It was supposed to be completed by spring 2027. The town said it is reviewing how the denial of funds will impact the project's timeline. 'I invite every resident to join me in sharing their disappointment with the province by contacting them and sharing what this decision means for our community,' Petrie said. The town, meanwhile, is committed to advocating for the project and said the facility is needed. Ingersoll is hoping provincial representatives can explore alternative funding sources to maximize the property's potential impact for the community, region and province.
CTV News
15 hours ago
- Business
- CTV News
The TDSB just passed a budget aimed at slashing its $34.4M deficit. Here is how it might impact your child's school
TDSB Chair Neethan Shan says the province has underfunded public education and speaks about the financial challenges they are facing. TDSB Chair Neethan Shan says the province has underfunded public education and speaks about the financial challenges they are facing. Toronto District School Board (TDSB) trustees passed the board's latest budget Wednesday, but were forced to include a number of measures to tighten belts in the wake of provincial scrutiny. The $3.7 billion budget will balance the board's books by eliminating a $34.4 million deficit over the next two years. 'I am pleased that we have increased funding to valuable programs such as special education and music instruction, while maintaining TDSB pools for another year,' TDSB Chair Neethan Shan said in a statement. 'Sadly, Ministry underfunding will mean we will be put in this difficult position again next year. It is my sincere hope that we can work with the Ministry to address the growing funding gaps so that we can maintain critical programming in a fiscally responsible way.' Underpinning the situation is a ministry investigation into the board's finances and a dispute between the board and the province over whether the TDSB – the largest school board in the country – is underfunded by the province, especially when it comes to special education. Education Minister Paul Calandra's office said the ministry has given the TDSB 'multiple opportunities' to address its financial situation. 'The province is asking the board to find savings of less than two per cent, and instead of looking for administrative savings, they have threatened to cut services for students,' a statement from Calandra's office reads. 'The TDSB's historic mismanagement required our government to take immediate action, which is why we have announced a financial investigation to ensure board resources are going to support students.' Here's what the TDSB is doing in order to balance the books this year The board says it is putting a pause on issuing new Chromebooks for students in the 2025-26 schoolyear and will instead recirculate devices returned by graduating Grade 12 students. An 'Attendance Support Program' is expected to reduce costs related to sick-leave Central departments will reduce spending by $9.5 million in operating expenses that the board says have 'limited impact' on services. Fees will be hiked for general interest and other continuing education programming. The board considered closing school pools it doesn't lease out, but held off on the move due to public pressure. While the board found money to keep aquatic programs going for another year, those services could be in jeopardy again at budget time next year unless other savings are found. The budget will now go to the Ministry of Education for final approval by the end of June.
RNZ News
15 hours ago
- Business
- RNZ News
Pacific Waves for 20 June 2025
NZ pauses millions of dollars in funding for the Cook Islands; China could be major beneficiary of Peters' move on Cooks - Powles; Pacific economy is growing slowly but surely - World Bank; Getting ready for the biggest Cook Islands festival in Aotearoa. Tags: To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
