READING Borough Council is concerned about drug testing, safeguarding and abandoned tents at Reading Festival.
The council received a presentation from the organisers, Festival Republic, following last year’s festival at a housing, neighbourhoods and leisure committee meeting on Thursday, March 10.
At the meeting councillors questioned the organisers’ handling of tents left behind, an issue which was highlighted by a photo showing thousands discarded by festival-goers.
Cllr Adele Barnett-Ward, lead councillor for neighbourhoods and communities, said Festival Republic had a “carrot” approach to the issue.
“Maybe it’s time to use more stick,” she said.
Cllr Barnett-Ward also asked:“I’m wondering what you can do to compel people to take their tents home?”
Victoria Chapman, head of sustainability for UK and Ireland at Live Nation, overseeing environmental sustainability at the festival, said creating a deposit return for tents would be a huge logistical exercise,
Ms Chapman added that a “heavy handed” approach to encouraging tents to be taken back would not work either.
The festival has been working hard to improve its sustainability with an aim for it to be powered by renewable energy by 2030.
Single-use plastics were also avoided by the organisers and attendees were encouraged to bring their own water bottles to restrict waste.
Cllr Meri O’Connell Liberal Democrat group leader for Reading, queried the professionalism of security at the event.
Ms O’Connell referred to a reported incident where a group of 16-year-olds were escorted out of the site and deposited in the Oxfordshire countryside, rather than a safer location.
Noel Painting, a Festival Republic representative, said: “We did have challenges with various teams during the 2021 festival as a result of covid.
“We struggled for security staff and we had several teams that came in quite late and, whilst we vet teams, there were people we certainly won’t be employing again.
“Once we found out what happened and who was responsible, they ceased to work with us, but I’ll have to fact check that.
“I was horrified when I found out, and I dealt with it.”
Mr Painting advised the council that a safeguarding group was created in 2018 to coordinate responses to issues between the festival team, Reading Borough Council, the South Central Ambulance Service, Thames Valley Police and Brighter Futures for Children.
At the meeting, Mr Painting also said the festival had a back-of-house testing for drugs.
This system allows the organisers to test the drugs confiscated from festival-goers for potency and harmful substances.
This method is more restrictive than front of house testing, where attendees themselves go to have drugs tested for the same reasons.
Cllr Graeme Hoskin, the council’s lead for wellbeing and sport, said the issue of drug use had been “skirted over” in the presentation.
He said: “I think the history of young people and drugs shows that kids will take drugs at festivals, and what we need to be about is providing the messaging and support that has been put in place.
“Also there’s a lot of evidence that front of house testing can have a significant and major impact in reducing risks and deaths at festivals.”
Mr Painting said the organisers are happy to look into implementing front of house testing s, but argued it could give off “a false sense of safety”.
The presentation also confirmed the economic benefits to the town with £8.5 million being spent in Reading, according to Festival Republic’s data.
Last year’s festival provided more than 4,000 jobs, with 500 jobs given to people from Reading
Looking forward to 2022, the two main stages will continue following success in 2021.
Festival Republic replaced the BBC Radio 1 Stage with another main stage as it felt it could accommodate more fans.
Organisers are concerned by the loss of the Rivermead car park due to construction works The site usually operates as a park and ride for festival-goers from Reading train station.
There was also confirmation the orange gate at Wigmore Lane will be for ticket holders who arrive by coach only.
