A leading celebration of the north’s rich military funding has lost council funding – because any proceeds would go to support armed force charities.
Moray Council was last night criticised by organisers of the Highland Military Tattoo after members voted to cut cash for the event, which is held at Fort George in Inverness.
Councillors were yesterday asked to contribute £2,000 towards the tattoo this year and a further £2,000 towards next year’s event.
However, following a debate at yesterday’s economic development and infrastructure committee, Speyside-Glenlivet councillor Fiona Murdoch’s motion to withdraw funding altogether was carried by 10 votes to three.
Councillor Murdoch said the award would not be in accordance with the local authority’s “award scheme” which does not approve grants to charities.
Profits from the event are distributed to armed forces charities
Ms Murdoch said the council must “apply its set of principles to everybody and stick to them”.
Major General Seymour Munro, director of the Highland Military Tattoo, said he was “deeply disappointed” the council chose not to help showcase the armed forces which are “a central part of the Moray community”.
He said: “Almost half of our performers hail from Moray, as well as a number of the food and drink producers who are participating in the Food Village,” he said.
“Indeed, even the whisky barrels we are using for our inter-forces competition come from a Speyside distillery.
“Our two historical vignettes mark the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Loos and the 200th Anniversary of Waterloo. The Seaforths, the Camerons and the Gordon Highlanders — all regiments with strong Moray connections — had a significant presence at one or both battles.”
The yearly funding requested from the local authority — £2,000 — was less than 1% of the total cost of the Tattoo.
Major General Munro said he thought there had been a “misunderstanding” about the event’s finances.
He said: “We are a charity and the event — far from making profits — will barely break even, largely because of the generous support of many volunteers.
“If the event makes any profit, which is by no means certain, some is set aside for future years and only the remaining surplus would go to Armed Forces charities.
Keith and Cullen councillor Gary Coull yesterday backed Councillor Murdoch’s motion, adding he did not see a sufficient economic return for Moray on the investment.
The council’s award scheme policy states that any grants awarded must be to events where any profits are reinvested in the initial scheme or returned to the council as a proportional profit.