POLICE have pledged that a popular community event will still go ahead this summer, despite a plea to finance it being snubbed by councillors.

Felixstowe Town Council was asked by the town’s Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT) if it would give a grant to pay for a Culture Day to celebrate the different ethnic communities now living in the resort and bring people together.

The event has been held for the past two years at the seafont leisure centre and has proved highly successful.

However, town councillors decided they would not support it this year – because in a time of cutbacks they could not be seen to be backing “nice events” with �400 public money when essential services were being axed.

They questioned how the police-led event would tackle anti-social behaviour and improve community safety.

SNT Insp Steve Gallant said the team had approached the council because it had specifically allocated a sum in its budget to support its work.

“The aim of the day is to really improve relations between the different cultures, nationalities and groups that make up our community by bringing cohesion so that we don’t have people living in isolation and have good relationships and understanding,” he said.

The biggest cost had been the venue and centre managers DC Leisure had now kindly agreed to provide it free of charge.