Jubilee may hit festival

FEARS that next year’s celebrations of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee may have an adverse impact on the popular Stockton Heath Festival have been sounded.
Stockton Heath Parish Council has formed a working group to plan Jubilee events such as 1950s-themed dances and football matches, a party in the park and bunting in the village.
Cllr Stephen Taylor said suggestions were rolling in for the celebration next June.
Members approved an idea to rename the Mill Lane Playing Field as the Queen Elizabeth II Field.
But they had reservations about Cllr Taylor’s application for an £8,000 working budget – even though it included a donation to the festival).
The application was referred to the Planning, Finance and General Purposes Committee.
Members were worried that major celebrations would have an adverse impact on the July festival.
Festival founder Cllr Tudor Pole said: “We don’t want them to steal the thunder of festival with big-style entertainment.”
He said the ideas put forward would need masses of people to organise them.
Cllr Peter Walker was also concerned that there could be problems if major celebrations conflicted with the festival.
Cllr Dorothy Robb asked where the parish council would get the money from for the Jubilee celebrations.
She said: “The source of our money is the ratepayers and I do not think we can afford this.
“It is an enormous amount of money to go towards a party. I think we mustn’t get too ambitious.”
But Cllr Taylor said the full budget may not be spent and activities could be kept to what the parish wanted.
Cllr Pole suggested the celebrations should be focused on the idea of a picnic in the park. This would cost nothing as everyone would bring their own food.
Anyone interested in helping organise the Jubilee celebration should contact the parish council clerk on 01925 210558 or email [email protected]