One of the best things Bridgetown has going for it is the annual Blues at Bridgetown festival. It brings thousands of visitors to the town, puts us on the map and delivers major economic benefits.
Naturally, our Shire Council wants to kill it off.
This month's Council agenda (for tomorrow night's meeting) reveals that at a behind-closed-doors meeting of councillors recently, it was suggested that the rules regarding street stalls and vendors during the festival be reviewed. For reviewed, read changed. They want the number and location of street vendors curtailed.
I would bet London to a brick that it was none other than Shire President Tony Pratico who led the call for this. If you go back to a post here from November this year, you will see that he kicked up a stink after last year's Blues Festival, complaining that coffee vendors were stealing business from the coffee machine in his fried chicken shop.
Councillors must be aware that the Blues Festival has battled in recent years to keep the event going due to the difficulty of running the event at a profit. Yet, now they are talking about giving the organisers a kick in the guts by reducing their ability to sell spots to vendors.
Background to the Council Agenda item states: The feedback from councillors at the informal meeting held on 10 April 2014 was that there was a need for the Shire to have input into the location of stalls and traders so as to avoid conflict between stalls and adjacent businesses selling the same or similar product.
It would be absolutely improper for Mr Pratico to use his position as a councillor and President to enhance the profitability of his business during the Blues festival by getting rid of any competition in the area. Surely he will not take part in debate and voting on this? He has already been found guilty once by the Local Government standards panel of failing to declare an interest in agenda items.
The fact that this item even made it onto the agenda is a disgrace.
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