THE statement reported in some parts of the media by a West Norfolk Council spokesman as the reasons for the cancellation are both incorrect and misleading. The event was cancelled at the request of the council on the alleged grounds that they had receive

THE statement reported in some parts of the media by a West Norfolk Council spokesman as the reasons for the cancellation are both incorrect and misleading.

The event was cancelled at the request of the council on the alleged grounds that they had received a complaint from a representative of the Upwell Health Centre.

The complaint, we are told, raised concerns about access to the centre, if the event was allowed to go ahead. This complaint was made to the council and not to the police or the Highways authority.

The complaint was received in the council offices on September 9. Subsequently, a representative of the council telephoned organisers at 6.30pm.

The joint organising committee, after a telephone conference the same evening, decided to cancel the event, believing compliance to be the better part of valour.

The joint committee was given a verbal go-ahead by the council. It was stated that as long as safety and security was considered as paramount, the event could go ahead in Townley Close and that the council would not charge the organisers for the use of the land.

The joint committee can draw only one conclusion from this: that although the council may have received a valid matter of concern about access, it must have been delivered by someone who was totally ignorant of the steps that the committee had already taken. The council's last-minute U-turn implies that the real issue was not an issue of safety, but an issue of finance.

I feel strongly that the council has played fast and loose with the committee and its volunteers, but equally with the readers of your paper.

BRIAN WALLIS

(Name and address supplied)