The Minister responsible for giving public money to the Battle of Flowers has declined to voice his full confidence for the Battle of Flowers Association.

A meeting last week heard the 2024 parades made a loss, despite a bigger government grant of £270,000.

Exhibitors, some of whom say they are still owed money for last year's floats, were told of a £150,000 shortfall.

Accounts are yet to be presented, but further details are expected at or before an AGM on 24 February.

Questioned in the States about his department's oversight of the Battle of Flowers Association, Economic Development Minister Kirsten Morel said his officers will need to see the accounts before supplying money this year. 

He was then asked if he had full confidence in the organisers:

"That is something I would have to refrain from giving a view on at the moment, because I think it has been well-publicised following recent meetings that there has been concern amongst the Association, and questions are being asked amongst the Association.

"It would be my requirement that we would need to understand that the Association is in good order, and is working in the appropriate ways to stage this year's event, before being able to provide that funding."

 Deputy Kirsten Morel

Pressed further on the use of government funding for staging future parades. Deputy Morel said.

"We as government will provide the support and advice to the association. We can provide ideas about how they can resolve their problems, and we are more than happy to support them in these ways, but the association itself has to make decisions about how it wants to structure itself.

"...We as government can look to provide the event ourselves, we can ask the BOFA to continue to provide that event, or we can seek another means of providing that event.

".. I will only provide funding when satisfied that that funding will be spent appropriately. 

"...We would love to see a Battle of Flowers going ahead this year, and I will work with them (the association) in all sorts of different ways to try to ensure that that does happen, but I think the BOFA, whether it is a limited company or an association, needs to make some decisions itself and needs to get to grips with those decisions quickly, otherwise it will find itself in a difficult situation.

Earlier the Minister had told the Assembly that 22,000 people had enjoyed the reformated parades, which included concerts.  

"A significant uplift, with 6,000 more tickets sold on previous year."

"A 120 year old event does need to move with the times.  Last year was an attempt to do that, and future funding will depend on a proposal that satisfies the requirements, both in terms of governance and ambition in terms of wanting to put on an event that people wish to see."