Finsbury Park deal is an “insult to democracy”

Liberal Democrat councillors and local election candidates have responded angrily to Haringey Council’s decision to sign a five-year deal for festivals in Finsbury Park.

On Friday 20 March, Labour Cabinet Member, Emily Arkell, approved a highly controversial agreement between Haringey Council and Festival Republic (Live Nation) to hire out Finsbury Park in June/July each year for five years from 2028 to 2032.

Liberal Democrat Leader of the Opposition, Cllr Luke Cawley-Harrison, had raised his concerns directly with the Chief Executive of Haringey Council, Andy Donald, in advance of the Cabinet Member signing, stating no decision should be made that “ties a future administration into a controversial contract like this and potentially exposes the council to compensation if it were to want to be revoked”, and requested that the decision was withdrawn and revisited after the local elections.

Opposition leader Cllr Luke Cawley-Harrison said “Signing a controversial deal like this on the eve of an election is an insult to democracy. Labour Councillors are pushing this through with their grip on Haringey slipping, knowing the Liberal Democrats have long opposed these multi-year contracts. They appear to be deliberately pouring petrol on the fire before saying goodbye, leaving someone else to put it out and pick up the pieces.”

“The Liberal Democrats are the only party in Haringey with a clear plan over the last few years to protect Finsbury Park:

• That Finsbury Park is taken out of the hands of Haringey Council and given to an independent community trust, with neighbourhood and political representation from all areas surrounding the park.
• A moratorium on all large events until proper public consultation can happen.
• A local referendum to confirm any decisions made on the structure of how the Park is run.

The number of people that have signed our petition show that our position is well supported locally.”

In 2023 the Liberal Democrats submitted a “call-in” request opposing a similar 5-year agreement between Haringey Council and Festival Republic. However the request was rejected by council legal officers as they claimed this was not a “key decision”, and therefore not subject to the call-in procedure.

The Liberal Democrats have now written to Haringey’s Chief Legal Officer with a formal request to access the financial arrangements of this new deal through a “Need to Know” submission in their capacity as Opposition Party at Haringey Council. Details contained within the exempt financial papers, would confirm whether the decision should have been taken as a “key decision”, and therefore could be challenged via the Call-In process.

If successful this could freeze the decision until after the election when a new administration may be formed.