Jamaica Village – Council must listen to local residents’ concerns say Liberal Democrats
Local Liberal Democrats have demanded that local people should have the opportunity to have a full say on an unprecedented10-day event in Finsbury Park during the Olympics.
The Jamaica Village event which will take place from the 3rd August to 12th August 2012 will host a variety of Jamaican themed sports, music, art, fashion, tourist attractions, food and drinks. Yet, despite the licensing committee already granting a license for the event, local residents have not had an opportunity to voice their concerns.
Liberal Democrats have said that a letter sent only to the Friends of Finsbury Park to notify them of a ‘consultation’ on further event details is unacceptable and fails to give the wider community an opportunity to voice their worries about noise, litter, traffic, anti-social behaviour and the loss of the ability use of their local park over the summer.
Worries about the event have not just come from residents; local police and neighbouring Islington Council have also raised concerns about the scale of the festival.
In a letter to the Council, Cllr Richard Wilson, has asked that the Council hold a consultation meeting to let people know about the Jamaica Village event and to ask they take part in the consultation.
Cllr Richard Wilson (Stroud Green) comments:
“So far almost no members of the public have been properly consulted about this unprecedented 10 day festival.
“Publicity for the licensing application involved putting up a few posters in the park in the middle of winter – which unsurprisingly were noticed by only a few people.
“The Jamaica Village event could be great for the area to get us all into the spirit of the Olympics, but local people, rightly, have a lot of concern about noise, traffic, anti-social behaviour and losing use of their local park over the summer. These worries need to be addressed.
“The current ‘consultation’ is unacceptable. The Council needs to hold a local meeting to let local residents around the park know about this event, to have their say and the Council needs to listen.”
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