Published: Tuesday, 23rd June, 2009 12:08pm
Slough Mela axed for the second year in a row
by Aamina Masud
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SLOUGH Mela has been cancelled for the second year in a row.
Around 30,000 revellers were expecting to enjoy the festival which was due to be held on Sunday, July 19 at Upton Court Park.
Organisers East London Festival (ELF), who tried to resuscitate the festival which was also axed last year, have blamed Thames Valley Police for demanding £31,000 to police the event four weeks in advance.
A statement from ELF said: 'ELF were unable to continue with the event after the horrendous demands made by Thames Valley Police. ELF feel that as opposed to supporting and aiding organisers to get the event back on its feet, they are in fact placing hurdles to make this task most difficult. Thames Valley Police have shown no support to the organisers or the event and have been very abrupt with regards to financial demands.'
A police statement, said: "Payment for this year"s event was requested in advance because Thames Valley Police has struggled to recover costs for such an event in the past. The Force policed the Mela in 2005, however they were unable to recover the agreed costs because the company organising the event subsequently went into liquidation shortly afterwards. In 2007, the organiser failed to meet payment deadlines, with the final payment being received by police six months after the event. With this in mind, Thames Valley Police explained to this year"s organiser that payment would be expected in advance. These discussions took place during early negotiations."
For more read Friday Observer.
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CK
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Jun 23 09 22:45
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Well isn't this what happend last year?? Well why did they change organisers and get rid of complete party services, if the end result is still the same? 2 different organisers have tried to stage the mela, so obviously means its not the organisers fault. GIVE THE MELA BACK TO COMPLETE PARTY SERVICES PEOPLE AND SACK THE PERSON WHO IS WORKING AT THAMES VALEY POLICE WHO IS IN CHARGE OF COSTS
jagdeep
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Jun 23 09 22:48
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So we pay council tax all year which states is for (police, fire brigade, nhs etc) and once a year when we ask for police at a mela that our community wants, the people dont get a mela?? I think the council should refund everyone their council tax if they cant provide us with a mela that we want
sh
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Jun 24 09 09:28
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I THINK THIS IS RADICULOUSE 2ND YEAR RUNNING, LOAD OF BULL****. I THINK WE SHOULD ALL COMPLAIN.
jay Ahmed
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Jun 24 09 10:50
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So all the other areas in england have Melas and we don't. BECAUSE OUR COUNCIL AND THE STUPID POLICE WANT TO CHARGE EXTRA MONEY FOR A PUBLIC EVENT. IDIOTS. SO PEOPLE CAN HAVE THEIR POXY BONFIRE NIGHT BUT WHEN THE ASIAN COMMUNITY WANT TO HAVE A MELA, THEY CANT. RACIST THAMES VALEY POLICE!!!!!!!!!!
jp
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Jun 24 09 10:51
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RACIST THAMES VALLEY POLICE. BET IF IT WAS A ENGLIGH EVENT LIKE ST GEORGES DAY OR SOMETHING, THE POLICE WOULD HAVE DONE IT FOR FREE.
JM
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Jun 24 09 12:05
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I find some of the comments above rather odd. I also note that the comments are racist towards the Police and towards the English.
If anyone is racist it would be those who offend the people of Slough and England as a whole by your idiotic comments.
As someone who lives in Slough I am pleased that there is no Mela as if we had a Christian meeting in a park it would not be allowed.
No the Police are not racist it is you the asian that is racist.
I hope we never have another Mela in Slough as it cost me the Tax payer to have it for something i have no wish to attend, needless to say the Police do not have the resources to attend such a skanky event.
UROLD MAN
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Jun 24 09 13:53
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THATs A LOAD OF BULL****
Mr truth
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Jun 24 09 14:57
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It is not racist at all. The reason the police charge is because it is a commercial event.
Why should they supply officers and use their resources when the organisers pocket the profits? This is why football clubs are charged for police presence at grounds. it is also why if it is a council event (bonfire, Jools Holland etc) then it makes no sense to charge the council as the police are paid from council tax money in the first place! It's like robbing Peter to pay Paul.
Bob
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Jun 24 09 15:12
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Fair play to Thames Valley Police charging £31,000
I would have charged more !
belle
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Jun 24 09 16:17
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I am offended by some of these comments. I am white, english and Christian BUT I love attending the Mela and opening my eyes to the religions of those that live around me. The festival is amazing.
It is a big shame that the event has been axed, the police should have warned of the funding BEFORE the organisers were allowed to begin organising the event. Or perhaps the organisers should have checked this first before they got peoples hopes up!!
Mr truth
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Jun 24 09 16:22
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It is not racist at all. The reason the police charge is because it is a commercial event.
Why should they supply officers and use their resources when the organisers pocket the profits? This is why football clubs are charged for police presence at grounds. it is also why if it is a council event (bonfire, Jools Holland etc) then it makes no sense to charge the council as the police are paid from council tax money in the first place! It's like robbing Peter to pay Paul.
Mr truth
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Jun 24 09 17:39
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It is not racist at all. The reason the police charge is because it is a commercial event.
Why should they supply officers and use their resources when the organisers pocket the profits? This is why football clubs are charged for police presence at grounds. it is also why if it is a council event (bonfire, Jools Holland etc) then it makes no sense to charge the council as the police are paid from council tax money in the first place! It's like robbing Peter to pay Paul.
MAS
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Jun 24 09 21:44
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It's frustrating that the Mela has been cancelled again, especially so close to the event. To those who say they are glad to see it gone I say it was a COMMUNITY EVENT that attracted all parts of the community. I don't know of any other event in Slough that brings that big a crowd together and has a good vibe. I think the Police could have handled the situation so much better. They're relationship with the people isn't the strongest as it is. Regardless of who makes money from it, the Mela is something that the people look forward to. It's a great loss for our town...
H Singh
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Jun 24 09 22:45
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The police certainly are not racist. If you ha any idea what sort of effect these events have on resourcing you would be shocked. Remember crime doesnt just stop in the rest of slough when the mela is on! This means officers who are not working have to be called in which costs a lot of money! Bearing in mind this community event has its fair share or fights and public order situations i think the police have every right to request money. If they were racist you think they would let the religious processions take place every year?
Stop playing te race card, these cowboy organisers need to show good faith and intentions straight up.
Des G
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Jun 25 09 09:11
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I am glad there is no MELA its a total waste of council tax money and we pay enough as it is.
Well done the Police.
I wish people would stop playing the race card.
mb khan
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Jun 25 09 10:29
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Now we know why people call the Police PIGS!! They are making excessive financial demands to police a Mela, because they have to stand and watch other people enjoying themselves, while they are standing in their funny uniforms getting paid a crappy £6.50 per hour!!!!
JOHN J
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Jun 25 09 10:36
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Here is a very Simple Idea - This event has been cancelled at the last minute for the last 2 years - So instead of giving it to the organisers Why doesnt the Council organise the Mela themselves?? This way the event would go ahead and in the tough times the council would make a profit which would generate income for them.
JOHN J
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Jun 25 09 10:46
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Here is a very Simple Idea - This event has been cancelled at the last minute for the last 2 years - So instead of giving it to the organisers Why doesnt the Council organise the Mela themselves?? This way the event would go ahead and in the tough times the council would make a profit which would generate income for them.
JOHN J
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Jun 25 09 11:18
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Here is a very Simple Idea - This event has been cancelled at the last minute for the last 2 years - So instead of giving it to the organisers Why doesnt the Council organise the Mela themselves?? This way the event would go ahead and in the tough times the council would make a profit which would generate income for them.
LL
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Jun 25 09 11:46
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\r\nThe organisers are aware they have to pay police , to claim the police are racist are unfair.\r\nIt is a commercial event, and so should pay for costs for police.\r\nMaybe the reason they are pulling out is because its not commercially viable - more interested in profit than community.\r\nWe provided a service for the last Mela and never received payment.
drunken man
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Jun 25 09 18:41
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Good its cancelled, how many times have we seen little boys from the vast communitys walking around trying to be hard men and start fighting within the crown like little girls, Good its cancelled so these little toddlers can sit in their friends car smoking fags.
Cops are right its commercial event you want to take off police of the road for your little wanna be gangsters infants you pay for it.
Ash
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Jun 25 09 21:58
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Dear All, Whilst I sympathise with all of you, my company organised the Slough Mela in 2007, and won the contract for three years from Slough Council to stage the Mela. Sadly, due to the inability of Slough Council to provide fixed quotations for certain works last year I was forced to cancel the Mela. We were then all invited to re tender. The succesful applicant, namely Ray C was FULLY aware of the police costs at the outset when making his application in October of 2008. Needless to say the same organiser successfully stages East London Mela where the Metroploitan Police also charge, but only a fraction of the costs. There is a myth about lots of profit. There simply isn't any. Moving to the council, they happily allowed the Jules Holland concert to go ahead and it cost the Council Tax Payer no less than £ 87,000 in direct LOSSES. Where were all of you then ? Why didn't any of you complain then? Also, it is at the discretion of the landowner, in this case, Slough Council to decide if they wish to have police, and not the orgainsers. There have been NO recorded arrests and or offences certainly in the time whilst my company organised the Mela in 2007. A very unfortunate situation, and indeed costs to the council and official bodies in the due process leading upto the mela. Again, may I reiterate that the organiser would have known about this cost many months ago, and certainly not this late as he seems to be suggesting.
Ash
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Jun 25 09 22:05
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Another reason that the Thames Valley Police are tightening the reign on this organiser is possibly the fact that he failed to pay the police bill from 2005, when he organised the Mela under the guise of United Community Events Limited, and he still to this day owes them no less than £ 25,000. We the rate payers have had to pick up that bill because when I asked the Police to confirm that that bill had been paid I was told that the company has shut down and they cannot pursue anyone. They know who he is and he is a man of means. Why doesn't the police chase money that they are rightfully owed ? Easier to get it from tax and rate payers and not the director of the company at the time.
Maj
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Jun 26 09 18:53
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Questions should be asked of the council as to why this Ray C person was allowed to tender and sucessfully be given rights to such an event, if as claimed a company he is linked with owed money to public authorities since 2005. So didnt the council carry out due dilligence procedures? And why was this person given a Mela contract if they owe the Police money? The police are demanding a high amount of money because they are already owed money from 2005. Surely this person should be BLACKLISTED & prevented from tendering for such events, due to his incompetence.
mb khan
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Jun 26 09 19:01
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What a mess!!! Council + Police + ELF + Ray Siddique all to blame for these shambles. Poor organisation & planning from top to bottom. Its a community mela for about 15,000 people, NOT the bloody olympics!!! All parties couldn't even work together to give Slough a Mela.
Timo
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Jul 8 09 11:36
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Having been privy to some of the meetings between the organiser, police and council I would like to put the record straight. It was made very clear to the organiser that due to the fact that money was still outstanding from a previous event he arranged, then payment for policing would be required within four weeks of the event. He has known this for the last six months!
As with any commercial event the Police charge for their time. In this case, they trimmed the cost to a bear minimum to try to help the organiser and the council extended the time limits for license applications etc. People of all races enjoy the Mela and everyone tried their best to accomodate the organiser. At the last minute he declared that he could'nt pay and simply pulled the plug blamming everyone but himself.
stocky
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Jul 16 09 13:46
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i can undersatnd that people are upset with the cancellation of the event but it doesnt give them the right to blame the police.(and play the race card).
police officers put their lives on the line to help the public and don't get the respect that they deserve. £31,000 is cheap! i would of charged alot more. at the moment police have limited resorces to police these events, what would you like, police the event or protect and serve the community!!!!!
zipped
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Jul 29 09 19:50
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Hi,
I had paid £250 for a pitch at the mela and with the event cancelled - I have yet to receive any monies. Have other people received their monies?
Raman
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Aug 5 09 22:18
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FAMILY EVENT!!! if the organisers can not provide the safety for our FAMILY & FRIENDS on this ONE DAY EVENT than the right thing has happened. Organisers like to fill their pockets caring less for others. As Ash states RAY C was aware of this situation but took no notice he is a SCUM!!!
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