Money spent on Feel Good Festival is "obscene", says local resident

Photo: SKW Events

Feel Good Festival

It is "obscene" for the Council to spend £90,000 on the Feel Good Festival "whilst support for those in need is being cut", says a local resident.

Debbie Barlow contacted Rochdale Online to ask: ‘I have been trying to find out how the Feel Good Festival is paid for. I have looked at council sites and town centre management and can’t find anything.

‘I want to know how much it costs to stage, and who pays for it.’

The response to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request submitted by Rochdale Online revealed the Council spent £90,000, which included £34,000 paid to the bands.

Ms Barlow said: “I think that at a time when budgets are being cut in every kind of social care and support for those in need it is obscene to spend so much money on an event like this.

“I was thinking about the other events Rochdale put on like last year’s New Year bash, how much does the council spend and is it all in Rochdale.

“It is disgraceful this information can only be found after FOI requests.”