Organisers of a Remembrance Sunday parade have been left fuming after council officials told them to fork out £1,000 for a ‘safety escort’ – even though last year’s event went ahead without one.
Ribble Valley Borough Council in Lancashire told disappointed volunteers of the parade for the villages of Billington and Langho it could not authorise the event after concerns were raised by its safety advisory group (SAG).
Specifically the SAG, which advises on public safety issues, said it was unhappy with the organiser’s choice of company to manage traffic and road closures for the 300-metre parade because it did not have a certificate.
However the same company, which has more than 50 years experience in haulage, safety escorting and road closure, offered its services for free last year with no complaints raised.
In 2024, attendees walked just a short distance from Billington Gardens to the memorial and back, accompanied by a pipe band.
Facing having to cancel their parade, the volunteers have now handed over all the funds they had for the next two years to pay for a private traffic management company, meaning next year’s event is now in jeopardy.
The volunteers claim their ‘parade hopes [have been] dashed by bureaucracy’ and accused the council of ‘extreme wokery’.
Venting their disappointment in a social media post, the volunteers said: ‘Last year we had a parade, it was safe, well led and managed by a team of volunteers dedicated in honouring the brave men, women and animals that lost their lives whilst securing the futures of millions of people.
Organisers of the Billington and Langho Remembrance Day parade have been left fuming after council officials told them to fork out £1,000 for a ‘safety escort’ – even though last year’s event went ahead without one. Pictured: Attendees at last year’s event
‘Our road closure was managed by a company with 53 years experience in road haulage/ escort and road closure management and I’m sure you all agree they did a sterling job of maintaining safety, reducing traffic congestion and ensuring the parade went ahead without any glitches.
‘Further more, they offered their services FREE OF CHARGE.
‘It is very sad times when a ‘certificate’ means more than experience, evidence and reputation.
‘With one week to go we have had no choice but to spend £1000 on a different traffic management group but this has used up ALL the money we have raised to secure the event for the next two years – it is a travesty!!’
The volunteers said they are now awaiting a decision on their new application and have pledged to still go ahead with a remembrance service if they cannot hold their short parade through the streets.
Tony Austin, a Conservative councillor with Ribble Valley Council who is involved in the event, told LancsLive there was hypocrisy in police allowing much larger public parades and demonstrations to go ahead ‘without hindrance’.
He said: ‘It sticks in everyone’s throat that others can conduct large demonstrations in big cities about Gaza, without hindrance, despite official displeasure.
‘Remember last year’s demonstration in London during the Remembrance Parade in Whitehall? This is extreme ‘wokery’.
Facing having to cancel their parade, the volunteers have now handed over all the funds they had for the next two years to pay for a traffic management company, meaning next year’s event is now in jeopardy
‘And populations of small villages, who cannot easily afford the fees of fat-cat traffic management companies, could consider themselves the victims of prejudice by the police.’
He added that people should be allowed to ‘properly celebrate’ the memory of local fallen veterans and should not have to ‘pay through the nose for services that are not needed’.
A Ribble Valley Council spokesperson said: ‘Our top priority is to ensure the safety of everyone taking part in this event. The council’s safety advisory group can only advise on public safety issues. It works closely with partners such as the police, fire and ambulance services, and Lancashire County Council to make recommendations, where appropriate, to event organisers.
‘Tighter rules have been introduced nationally to improve the safety of those attending public events, especially on the highway network.
‘The safety group has advised organisers of the Billington remembrance parade that they need to have a traffic management plan in place for a temporary road closure, to protect those attending the event. Organisers of other similar remembrance events in the borough have put such traffic management arrangements in place.’