Mayor Andy Burnham has said people need to 'cut Manchester City Council some slack' over their decision to axe the city's Bonfire Night celebrations due to 'escalating costs'.
Speaking to callers on his weekly phone-in on BBC Radio Manchester, the mayor of Greater Manchester defended the council's decision to cancel major public bonfire nights and fireworks displays this year, saying councils must 'prioritise' the cost of living crisis.
The decision, which was announced yesterday, has sparked public fury - and prompted multiple angry questions to Mr Burnham in his phone-in with radio host Mike Sweeney this morning.
READ MORE: Woman searching for man called Paul she met on TUI flight to Manchester who she 'clicked' with
On Facebook Live, one listener asked if the council should 'u-turn' on its decision not to hold Bonfire Night displays this year - saying the council's reasoning of 'funding' issues 'doesn't wash'.
"Given they [residents] spend a fortune for car parking at Heaton Park and are spending over £325 million on the Town Hall repairs, to say its funding doesn't wash," the listener wrote. "How much will public transport and our economy lose in revenue as a result of this decision?"
Responding, Mr Burnham acknowledged the large public outcry to yesterday's announcement, saying it is 'a question a lot of people are asking today'.
"This is a council decision first and foremost, so its not one that I've had any involvement in, so I can't necessarily that I was in the room when that decision was made," he said. "However, I am not going to say that it is the wrong decision, because what I see at the moment is all of our councils - Manchester City Council, but all the other nine as well, they are shaking every tin in the town hall to try and help people with the cost of living crisis. That is the reality."
He acknowledged that some might say the firework displays help with cost of living, as it means people do not have to buy their own fireworks - but said the celebrations are "beyond what councils can afford at the moment".
Host Mike quizzed Mr Burnham on the possible 'social unrest' and unauthorised bonfires that could result from the council's decision, asking if the choice to axe council-run celebrations could put emergency services in 'perilous situations'.
Do you agree with the Mayor? Have your say in our comments below.
"Surely there is a trade-off there that yes, it's money you have not really got, but there's a social duty to provide those facilities, thus you won't get as many unauthorised bonfires," he said.
The Mayor admitted that in an 'ideal world' - or a 'more normal world' - councils do understand the need and public desire to put on such events. But he told listeners 'we are not in that world at the moment', and said councils do not have the money to do things that are 'higher priority' than fireworks.
"I'm talking about warm banks, which councils are putting in place now. These are places in every community where people can go to keep warm," he said. "We are looking at food provision for people. Now bear in mind there is not a budget given by the government to do this.
"Our councils are having to find it to help people, because the figures are quite - honestly Mike, I looked at some of the surveys from Greater Manchester residents yesterday, the number of people who have cut what they are eating, the number of people who are highly anxious about the situation that they are in, not putting the heating on. Seriously - the picture out there is really bleak, really bleak. And all of our councils are putting all their energy and resources into that at the moment.
"I just think people need to cut them some slack, to be honest. Because sometimes things have to give, and they're just putting their focus now into food, warmth for people, rather than fireworks. That is just a reflection of the time we are living in."
Responding to questions raised about the cost of the restoration of Manchester Town Hall, Mr Burnham said the allocation of that budget was made 'in a very different time' but defended the project, calling the hall a 'jewel' in the country.
"This is one of the most precious buildings we have got anywhere in Britain, and it has to be preserved for future generations," he added. "To me, it's the separation between desirable and essential. A firework display is desirable, but it's not essential. Food, warmth, protecting our heritage, I'm afraid, is essential, and it's just that separation between those two things."
Caller Chris, from Salford, accused the Mayor of 'getting it absolutely wrong', saying 'bonfire night and fireworks displays are an integral part of British cultural history'.
"There is absolutely no reason why the council, if they organised it properly, could not generate the revenue, from things like admissions fees and parking at Heaton Park, to do this properly," Chris argued.
"This is just another excuse, and you are constantly blaming, yet again, the Tory government. You're talking about warm banks and everything else - those are not council responsibilities. They're choosing to do that for political reasons.
"Why can't you find money from somewhere to put a bonfire display on? It might cost 20 grand, but you can raise the revenues to pay for it."
Mr Burnham responded that Chris is 'entitled' to his view but argued 'it is not as simple as you say'.
"There are some things that come before firework displays, and those things are keeping people fed, keeping people warm, keeping people safe in their own homes, and councils at the end of the day have to prioritise.
"They've done this year after year after year - so yes, they would want to do what you have just said, and they do do it in normal times. But as I just said, we are not in normal times, and it's not a political point, by the way. You chose to make it all about politics, I just said to you that the situation they are in is an exceptional one. They are having to choose between essential things and desirable things, and I'm sorry, but a fireworks display falls into the latter category.
"It's not against anyone putting on a display where there is a private sponsor, it's not banning anything like that. It's just that the council can't afford to put those funds in to support that now."
READ NEXT:
