Veterans and the local community have been left outraged after a Remembrance Day event, previously attended by as many as 1,000 people, was effectively cancelled amid apparent “safety” concerns.
The local British Legion branch in Upton, on the Wirral, Merseyside, has attempted to appeal for help after they learned the commemoration would be dramatically scaled back to a simple wreath-laying ceremony.
They were told by the local council that the decision had been taken in light of the car-ramming incident during Liverpool FC’s Premier League victory parade earlier this year.
A Wirral council member was said to have explained: “If we sound a bit pedantic on this, just following incidents like the one at the Liverpool parade, we need to keep everyone safe.
The council then suggested they would be unable to guarantee the safety of those in attendance, as police would not be controlling traffic in the area.
“If the police were still in attendance, they have the powers to do a rolling road block and, of course, can arrest anyone who is causing trouble, but local authorities do not have any of these powers, so we have to mitigate against anything happening,” they said.
Merseyside Police also told the Legion branch that controlling roads at events, such as observations of Remembrance Day, was no longer their responsibility outside of emergencies.
Chief Inspector Rob Budden of the force said they had supported traffic control efforts at previous parades but were now bound by new guidance.
A Remembrance Day parade has been cancelled over ‘health and safety fears’
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“The National Police Chiefs’ Council and the College of Policing stressed that policing should not take responsibility for closing roads or managing traffic, other than in an emergency,” he said.
Wendy Meade, the British Legion’s branch secretary, despaired that the fate of the parade was now “out of our hands”.
For their part, a Wirral council spokesman said: “After the council was made aware that the police would no longer be facilitating road closures or providing police escorts for Remembrance events as in previous years, the council has worked with organisers across the borough to enable them to still take place.”
The spokesman said they had offered to waive road closure fees for the service if the organisers confirmed they had put in place “risk assessment and public liability insurance”.
The commemoration in Upton, on the Wirral, Merseyside, has been downsized to a simple wreath laying ceremony
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He added that this was the case as the council could not fund insurance for a non-council event.
“Wirral council remains committed to supporting community-led events and regrets that the Upton parade could not proceed this year. We are confident that, had the necessary information been provided, we would have been able to assist in facilitating a safe and respectful event,” he added.
The Royal British Legion explained it is “grateful for all the support received from local authorities and police forces to ensure Remembrance parades can take place, which mean so much to the Armed Forces community.”
“Parades are happening across the Wirral, but due to administrative reasons, this was not possible this year in Upton, so locals are being encouraged to attend others nearby.
Wirral council cited the Liverpool FC parade car-ramming incident earlier this year as part of their decision-making
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“Hopefully, this will be resolved so it can go ahead next year,” they added.
Despite the Legion’s hopeful tone, locals were greatly disappointed to hear the news of the commemoration’s cancellation.
“Upton has held a Remembrance Day parade since the end of the First Wold War without any problem,” one said.
“We should all turn up and do this march. This is absolutely heartbreaking and disgusting, and most of all disrespectful,” another told The Telegraph.