Letter from local Green Party to Cab Member for Parks

OPEN letter from local Green Party Candidates to the Cabinet Member for Parks

Also as an attached PDF. Reproduced with permission:

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To: Cllr Emily Arkell, Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure

CC: Haringey Council Leader Cllr Peray Ahmet; Haringey Green Party; Haringey Chief
Executive Andy Donald; Corporate Director of Environment and Resident Experience Barry
Francis; Richard Plummer Committees Manager

Date: 17 March 2026

Subject: Formal Complaint – Poor Consultation Process: Finsbury Park 5-Year Events Deal

Dear Councillor Arkell,

I am writing to formally express my deep concern and strong objection regarding the
proposed 5-year events contract with Festival Republic (a subsidiary of Live Nation), which I
understand is scheduled for a Cabinet Member Signing this Thursday, 19th March.

The consultation process surrounding this significant long-term commitment has been
fundamentally flawed, lacking both the transparency and democratic rigor expected of a local
authority, particularly one that has declared a climate emergency.

Failure to consult key stakeholders

Council reports suggest that 38 stakeholder groups were notified by email in January
2026.[1] However, several vital community organizations, whose operations are directly
impacted by major events, claim they received no such communication. These include:

• Friends of Finsbury Park: The primary representative body for park users, who
  have been vocal about the ecological damage left by major festivals.
• Edible Landscapes London: A volunteer-led project within the park that relies on
  accessibility and a healthy ecosystem.
• London Heathside Athletics Club: A major user of the track facilities whose
  training and events are disrupted by the build and break periods.
• Central park cafe: The main park cafe which sees a drop in customers during event
  weekends.
• Museum of Homelessness: Located within the park, the charity is deeply affected
  by the restricted access and security cordons major events require.
• Finsbury Parkrun: A weekly community event involving hundreds of residents that is
  repeatedly displaced by these festivals.
• Ladder Community Safety Group: Represents the residents living in the immediate
  "impact zone" who face the brunt of anti-social behavior, noise, and traffic.

The fact that these prominent groups remain unconsulted makes the "officer
recommendation" to proceed appear based on an incomplete and misleading representation
of local sentiment.

Lack of transparency and democratic process

The timing of this decision, barely 48 hours before the pre-election period ("Purdah") begins,
is highly irregular. Signing a five-year deal that binds the next administration for the entirety
of its term, just weeks before the May elections, is an affront to democratic accountability.

Green Party candidates and local residents are rightly concerned that this is being railroaded
through to avoid the scrutiny of a newly elected council. Furthermore, the decision to hold
this as a "Cabinet Member Signing" rather than a full public debate further reduces the
opportunity for public oversight.

Disregard for legal and environmental context

Recent High Court rulings regarding the commercial use of public parks (such as the
Brockwell Park case) raise serious questions about the legality of the 47+ days the park is
currently occupied by event infrastructure. By locking the council into a 2028–2032 deal now,
you are ignoring these shifting legal standards and the documented environmental damage,
specifically soil compaction and tree root damage, that these events cause.

Request for action

In light of these failures, I urge you to:

1. Postpone the signing scheduled for Thursday, 19th March.
2. Re-open a meaningful consultation that includes direct engagement with the
   stakeholders named above.
3. Defer the decision until after the May elections to allow for a full democratic
   mandate on the future of Finsbury Park.

The park is a public asset and a statutory trust for recreation, not a "cash cow" to be leased
out behind closed doors. I look forward to your urgent response on how you intend to rectify
these procedural failings.

Yours sincerely,

Bethany Anderson (Stroud Green Ward Green Party Candidate)
Dr Gio Iozzi (Stroud Green Ward Green Party Candidate)
Eddy Thacker (Stroud Green Ward Green Party Candidate)
Marc Jenner (Harringay Ward Green Party Candidate)
Jo Kuper (Harringay Ward Green Party Candidate)
Rosie Latchford (Harringay Ward Green Party Candidate)
Fin Fitzgerald (Hermitage and Gardens Ward Green Party Candidate)
Ata Berk Aksit (Hermitage and Gardens Ward Green Party Candidate)
David Baulk (Hornsey Ward Green Party Candidate)
Lucas Bouvier (Hornsey Ward Green Party Candidate)
Felicity De Motta (Hornsey Ward Green Party Candidate)

[1] Notice of meeting: Cabinet Member Signing
https://www.minutes.haringey.gov.uk/documents/g11422/Public%20repor...
-Mar-2026%2013.00%20Cabinet%20Member%20Signing.pdf?T=10