THE Chard Carnival Committee said they were “shocked” to not have been awarded an expected grant with one week to go to the event.

The committee said they were told the fund was blocked as the application for the project bid needed to be resubmitted.

Chard Town Council, which is part of the Culturally Chard Consortium managing the grant, replied by saying that “since at least June of this year, the Carnival Committee were aware of a need to update its project template for this year’s carnival as that is a grant criteria”.

The committee was “was shocked at the actions of the council official as the carnival is only just over a week away and expenditure has already been committed”.

A statement posted on social media by the official Chard Carnival Facebook page read: “This year we are in need of a bumper collection to help cover the costs of our carnival.

“As well as the increase in costs we have today [Thursday, October 5] received communication from Chard Town Council to inform us that a grant already awarded from Historic England’s Cultural fund has been blocked by town council officials unless we rewrite the project bid and resubmit it for approval despite it being previously approved.

“As you can imagine the committee was shocked at the actions of the council official as the carnival is only just over a week away and expenditure has already been committed.

“We would like to thank Heritage England and Somerset Council officers who have been working with us today to try and resolve the issues, we can only presume the person in question does not support carnival or its many worthy causes.

“The Chard Carnival committee will all continue to work incredibly hard to ensure that Chard gets the best carnival we can deliver this year, but the possible loss of this grant at such short notice may impact our reserves and our ability to put events on in the future.”

Chard Town Council replied with the following statement published this morning through their official Facebook page: “Chard Town Council has been made aware of a statement from Chard Carnival Committee that Town Council officials at short notice are blocking a grant to the carnival from Historic England by asking for a project bid to be resubmitted.

“Chard Town Council including all of its officers and all its councillors wholeheartedly support Chard Carnival Committee and the carnival this year in Chard, as it has done in all previous years and will continue to do so in the future and really values and acknowledges the support the carnival provides many local worthy causes.

“The grant referred to for the Carnival Committee is managed through the Culturally Chard Consortium (which council officers are part of), the consortium manages how the grants are spent for lots of projects in Chard.

“Since at least June of this year, the Carnival Committee were aware of a need to update its project template for this year’s carnival as that is a grant criteria.

“We hope that through consultation between Chard Carnival Committee, Culturally Chard and other parties the grant will be sorted out soon.

“The carnival is the heartbeat of Chard and the Town Council supports Chard Carnival Committee both financially and in kind, in many ways to help the Carnival happen each year in Chard.

“The Carnival Committee and its members also help support the town council by providing marshals for parades on Remembrance Sunday and St Georges Day, which the town council is very grateful for.

“The Carnival Committee is also one of only four groups in Chard that get an annual grant from the town council.

“The town council supports all carnival events from the street fair in September, to the beacon lighting and then all events on Carnival day.

“It does this in lots of ways including, providing use of a council vehicle to help with set up and put away at all the big events, free provision of gazebos, free use from 7am until midnight of the whole of the Guildhall on carnival day with staff on hand to help with its operation throughout the day.

“It sells the carnival programme on reception and hosts a donation tin, in the weeks leading up to carnival week and provides a free space for the sale of the programme and raffle tickets by carnival volunteers throughout actual carnival week.

“The town council commitment to Chard and its carnival is strong and will remain so for many years.

“We are looking forward to a great carnival week this year and continuing to work in partnership with Chard Carnival Committee to help in any way we can with the carnival, the week’s events start this Sunday, with the annual carnival quiz.”

Update

A further comment from Chard Carnival Committee said: "We have today received communication from Heritage England saying 'I’ve just spoken with my colleagues from the cultural team, legal team, and grants team.

'I can confirm that the Chard Carnival Committee does not need to reapply for the funding/resubmit a proposal form for this year’s carnival as it was approved previously by the consortium.'

"We are extremely grateful for all of the help Somerset Council and Heritage England officers have given us. We look forward to now concentrating on the Carnival which is just over a week away but are disappointed that it had to come to this."