Notting Hill Carnival Strategic Review - Intelligent Space

1.4.3 the involvement of and consultation with key stakeholders, groups and individuals during
the Inquiry process; the consideration of evidence from organisers of similar events, both
in the UK and in other countries;
1.4.4 the consideration of any relevant submissions, comments and documentary evidence,
commissioning and/or pursuing any additional research where necessary;
1.4.5 addressing and/or determining Carnival’s cultural aims, economic & social benefits, and
location and organisational needs; advising on and making recommendations as to the
current and future role of the Greater London Authority, local authorities and other
funding partners; making findings as to the on-going viability and sustainability of
Carnival in its present form; and
1.4.6 producing a report making recommendations to the Mayor of London and other
appropriate agencies on the future development of the Notting Hill Carnival within
London.
The Issues: Talking to Stakeholders, Consulting the Public and Interim Recommendations
1.5 An initial period of consultation 16 with key organisations involved in planning and delivering the
Notting Hill Carnival allowed the Review Group to identify the key issues surrounding Europe’s
largest street festival. Exploratory meetings were held with the Notting Hill Carnival Trust
(NHCT); the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea (RBKC); the City of Westminster (WCC);
the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS); British Transport Police (BTP); St. John Ambulance
(SJA); the London Ambulance Service (LAS); London Underground Limited (LUL); and the
London Fire & Emergency Protection Authority (LFEPA). The Review Group also studied media
coverage and reporting of the 2000 event, together with a number of documents and statistics
relating to previous Carnivals.
1.6 A wider programme of consultation with the public, involving the distribution of a consultation
questionnaire, together with a call for submissions and the hosting of two public meetings within
Notting Hill was initiated in the November 2000. The questionnaire canvassed the public’s views
on the following central issues:
• the importance of public safety;
• the Carnival’s location and route;
• crowd numbers, density and congestion;
• the effectiveness of stewarding and policing;
• the content of the Carnival and its activities (i.e. programming);
• the provision of amenities (first aid centres and toilets);
• communication and signage; and
• transportation to and from Carnival.
1.7 Over 75 written responses were received at the close of the public consultation period with
approximately 40 per cent of these coming from residents living in and around the Carnival area.
Submissions from Carnival bands and participants represented the next biggest respondent
group (21 per cent), with the remainder coming from members of the general public (10.5 per
cent), police community consultative groups or working parties (4.5 per cent) and key statutory
agencies (such as the police, local authorities, emergency services and transport authorities),
organisations and individuals.
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Members of the Carnival Review Group attended the 16 th Annual Carnival Management & Development Seminar on 7-8
October 2000
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