First announced to islanders in June on this Blog, the Town Council will contribute £10,000 towards the event, due to take place at 7.30pm, in The Paddocks, on Friday, November 12th. The amount is two-thirds more than that apparently spent on the island’s Armed Forces' Day Celebrations costing £6,000 – so it promises to be an extravaganza.
There are six categories of award.
The Lifetime Achievement Award is being sponsored by the Yellow Advertiser and rewards a person who has, in the course of their paid duties or voluntary work, provided exceptional service and demonstrated a lifelong dedication.
The Citizen of the Year Award will go to an inspirational resident who lives or works on Canvey.
A Young Citizen of the Year Award is to be provided for an under-21 who has made a significant contribution, achieved educational success, or overcome personal difficulties. This award still seeks a sponsor.
There is also to be an Educational Award; a Sports and Culture Award; and the inevitable Chairman’s Award (to be presented to someone for a specific single action of bravery, courage – or who has overcome exceptional difficulties).
Residents will receive a nomination form, presumably along with their voting paper for Town Centre pedestrianisation, in the summer edition of the Town Council’s newsletter (shortly coming to a doormat near you).
Jeff Rickards’ smiling face belies the fact that this is money the Town Council can ill afford to spend. But perhaps he is relieved that the £35,000 Summer Fun package has apparently been cancelled…
I am having some problems coming to terms with the fact it costs £10,000 to hire a hall and present six awards that have been paid for by sponsors.
ReplyDeleteWhat am I missing?
Well, I presume the TC will pick-up the cost of the six individual statuettes and their engraving, Cynical. And then there is the cost of the evening’s entertainment and the inevitable celebrity, hired to present the awards.
ReplyDeleteThen there is the cost of advertising; the cost of recording the event on DVDs for the TC’s PR and future prosperity – and, of course, the catering.
Last Christmas, the TC hired a tribute band from Aston Management (http://www.astonmanagement.co.uk/default.htm) for £500; and additional entertainment from Classique Promotions Ltd (http://www.classiquepromotions.co.uk/) for a further £925.
In 2009 they gave BVP Video Productions (http://www.bvpvideo.co.uk/) £970 to record the Armed Forces Day event, and produce some DVDs, while All Occasion Catering earned £1,650 for providing refreshments.
It quickly mounts up.
The TC seems intent on spending residents’ money on events - like their Nostalgia Night - which only a limited number (because of the hall’s seating capacity) can benefit from.
Incidentally, you don’t know anyone who went to that, do you Cynical? I could not find any mention of it in the local press – and the TC’s Website is not carrying any report…