Taxpayer to foot the bill for Battle of Flowers' overspend with £121,000 government handout
Last year, Battle made a loss of more than £350,000, with many exhibitors and creditors not being paid as a result - despite a record £270,000 government grant.
Deputy Kirsten Morel, the island's Minister for Sustainable Economic Development, told ITV News in March that the "Government isn't there to bail out and just pay off the debt".
He added: "The Battle of Flowers Association have sufficient assets for us to work out a way for them to pay off their own debts."
However, the Government has now confirmed a bailout costing £121,000, only a few months after announcing up to £220,000 of grants to fund this year's smaller celebrations: ITV News understands this latter figure now stands at £158,000.
The payment to cover debts has been made as an advance on future funding for the Battle of Flowers, raising questions about whether the event will ever return to its former scale.
Steve Bouchard from The Optimists Club, which won last year's event, says: "It is a concern because it's leaving a legacy behind, people will have to take on a debt they didn't incur.
"But that's the way it is and at least we have a Battle on this year."
In a statement, the island's government explains: "The Battle of Flowers is an essential fixture in Jersey's summer calendar, bringing our community together through thousands of hours of volunteering and drawing crowds to the centre of town.
"Ministers have provided this payment to enable the parade to proceed this year."
In a letter from Chief Minister Lyndon Farnham and Deputy Morel, addressed to the Chief Officer at the Department of the Economy, the Government adds: "We would ask that any future grants to any organiser of the Battle of Flowers event are made with this funding in mind, accounted for accordingly and deducted from future grants to the event.
"It is unfortunate that, despite the efforts of the new organisers and the grant funding already provided by the Department for the Economy, the success of the event should be imperilled due to ongoing challenges in resolving the 2024 overspend."
Some islanders believe money from the public purse could be better allocated elsewhere.
Ben Shelton from Age Concern explains: "I'm the chair of two charities that do really good work in the island and we could do much better with that money than wasting and squandering it on grants that aren't properly investigated and aren't given out in the right manner."
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