LANCASTER City Council says there is no intention of reducing the number of festivals and events it provides, despite the scrapping of the Festivals Innovation Fund.
The four main events expected to be included are the Sandcastle Festival, Brass Bands in Happy Mount Park, fireworks at Lancaster Castle and the 'We Do Like To Be Beside the Sea' event.
The council is also planning to cut the Cultural Services Dep
artment from three staff to one as part of a swathe of cost-cutting measures.
But council officials say all staff affected will be offered 'a range of options as part of their Redeployment Policy'.
Cultural Services, Planning Services, Economic Development and Corporate Strategy and Customer Services will be restructured from four services into two – Community Engagement and Regeneration and Policy.
IT (Information Technology) will be considered as part of further restructuring of council services.
Mark Cullinan, Lancaster City Council's chief executive, said: "In March 2009 the council agreed to discontinue the Festivals Innovation Fund as part of its agreed budget for 2009/10.
"In view of the fact that the fund no longer exists, council agreed to withdraw the associated support provided by officers, therefore reducing the number of posts needed to deliver council wide festivals and events from three to one.
"These proposals are entirely separate from any other restructures which are currently taking place within the council and there is no intention, at this stage, to reduce the number of festivals and events provided by the council.
"Further details of the proposals for a full restructure of a number of services to create two new services were submitted to cabinet on October 6.
"Cabinet has also supported proposals to restructure the council's senior management.
"Any proposals to restructure particular services are currently open to consultation with both staff and the trade unions.
"It is no secret that the public finances are coming under extensive scrutiny and whatever the outcome of the next General Election all the major political parties agree that there will be big cuts to the public finances and local authorities such as Lancaster City Council will not be immune."
* A consultation amongst staff into the restructuring of services will continue until December 1.
The festivals programme for 2010 is unavailable at present.
