How Labour confusion resulted in the cancellation of Birmingham Annual Garden Show 2012

How Labour confusion resulted in the cancellation of Birmingham Annual Garden Show 2012

As mentioned in my previous blog post, the Birmingham Annual Garden Show will not be happening this weekend. This will be the first time since 1945 the event has not happened. Yet, it was an election promise by the Birmingham Labour Party – with a photo of Councillor Sir Albert Bore – that promised to hold the 2012 event in Kings Heath. Indeed Councillor Lisa Trickett went further and said in her election literature: “I’m now part of the local group that will help deliver the restored event.”

Labour Party twitters, such as Councillor John O’Shea, have been quick to defend this shambles by blaming the weather, the volunteer organisers and even me!

The real truth is that this event is a victim of the complete and utter confusion that now exists throughout Birmingham City Council due to the new Labour administration completely bonkers reorganisation in May.

Any event will always have hiccups and it is in these situations that clear political leadership is required. In the case of Birmingham Annual Garden Show, once it became clean in late July/early August that the ground conditions in Kings Heath Park meant that the event could not happen here, then clear political leadership was required in finding alternative locations..........and there were plenty of suitable local alternative locations. These were:

1) The former playing pitch area in Highbury Park, where the cars would park during previous events at Kings Heath Park.

2) The red gravel area off Holders Lane, at the southern end of Cannon Hill Park

3) The City Centre Gardens – as used last year.

Remember that two local events will be held in parks this weekend: Eid Mela in Cannon Hill Park and Moseley Folk Festival in Moseley Private Park.

As I mentioned above, there is now total confusion within the Council as to which politicians are responsible for what. One of the first things the new Birmingham Labour administration did on gaining power was completely re-organise the political structure within the Council. This included getting rid of the Cabinet member for Leisure, Sport and Culture. Responsibilities for events are now distributed amongst 14 politicians.... totally insane.

In the case of Birmingham Annual Gardening Show, once the proverbial poo hit the fan in early August on this event, the officers did not know which politician to turn to make a decision as to what to do next. Total confusion reigned and so nothing happened.

The list of shame that the cancellation of the Birmingham Annual Garden Show rests on is as follows:

Councillor Lisa Trickett – Chair of Moseley and Kings Heath Ward Committee

Councillor Habib Rehman – Chair of Hall Green constituency

Councillor Ian Ward – Deputy Leader, Birmingham City Council

Councillor Sir Albert Bore – Leader, Birmingham City Council