BUXTON FESTIVAL FRINGE HITS BACK AT COUNCIL

PRESS RELEASE: For immediate release June 2006

Buxton Festival Fringe has hit back at High Peak Borough Council's decision not to back down on its controversial removal of all funding to the charity.

At a meeting of the executive last Tuesday (June 6) the council rejected pleas for a review by the council's Labour Group, saying the call-in was unnecessary and standing by its drastic budgetary cuts.

Buxton Festival chair John Wilson slammed the decision saying: 'I was convinced that we had won the argument but doubt in my mind remained as to whether they would be grown up enough to admit their error and change their decision and now we have our answer - they weren't.'

He added: 'We are very grateful to councillors Bisknell, McGrother and Jacqui Wilkinson for getting it called in and trying to get the decision changed however'.

The loss of the council's annual £2,000 grant deals a severe blow to the registered charity which is celebrating its biggest ever Fringe this year. Said Wilson: 'In my view we shall be OK this year and next year but for the year after that we may have to consider whether we can continue unless we can replace this funding'.

The emergency has prompter a warm response from the public with many supporters joining the Friends of the Fringe scheme (just £10 per year) and some sending donations.

This year's arts extravaganza, taking place from July 7-23, features a whopping 114 entries. That means some 467 performances representing a wide diversity of the arts from drama to comedy, music to dance and visual arts to spoken word. The new format, all-colour printed programme is now available and you can also find full listings and updates on the comprehensive Fringe website http://www.buxtonfringe.org.uk.

The Buxton Festival Fringe runs concurrently with the opera and literature based Buxton Festival but is a separate organisation run by volunteers. Since 2003 it has received generous sponsorship from the University of Derby, Buxton. It is also supported by The Osborne Group and is grateful to many other organisations. Following the funding cuts by High Peak Borough Council after 20 years of support, the Fringe is now actively looking for new sponsors. If you think you could help, please Send message to Info.

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