Pride chair Yvonne Barker

Following the recent public meeting organised by Pride in Brighton and Hove, the Chair, Yvonne Barker has resigned from that position, retired as a trustee and from the board with immediate effect.

This followed community outrage at proposals published for consultation by Pride last month.

More than 6,000 people joined a facebook group called 'Save Brighton and Hove Pride as we know it' adding a community perspective to the debate.
 
The text of her letter to the board read as follows:
“It is with much regret that I am standing down as Chair of Pride after 4 years on the board. As Chair I accept responsibility for the relationship breakdown between Pride and some community groups and local businesses.

However I stand by the board’s position that Pride, and particularly the park event, should refocus on the needs of the LGBT community and the delivery of Pride’s charitable objectives.

Also that no business should have an automatic right to profit from the park, and that open and transparent tender processes and open book accounting, in terms of who is profiting from running Pride, should be in place.

The aggressive and bullying approach to the Pride trustees and staff adopted by a small number of business and press representatives that are being used on social networking sites and in some of the gay press, and that were displayed at the Pride open meeting on Tuesday evening, is shameful. 

If this is the way that such individuals and organisations behave then they are certainly not the right people to either save Pride or to run the park event.

I hope that in securing the future of Pride in 2010 and beyond Pride as a charity is able to work with those who genuinely care about all of the LGBT community, and not the small number of aggressive individuals who oppose positive change and that have a vested interest in making money and taking it down a commercial route.”
 
Robert Clothier, currently vice chair of Pride is to step in as acting Chair. Commenting on the resignation he said:
“I would like to thank Yvonne for her work and dedication in professionalising Pride to make it more transparent and putting in key operational measures that ensures the accountability of Pride to its members.
 
“The role has often meant that trustee volunteers come under personal attack in working for the best interests of the organisation and this is not constructive.
 
“Yvonne has acted with absolute integrity and will be sorely missed. The whole board and the Pride team are hugely grateful to her.”
 
The Pride board has a scheduled meeting this evening and will make an announcement on the next steps in the consultation process, which it accepts needs to take place as quickly as possible.

Cllr Paul Elgood said:
"It is now time to move forward and ensure that next year's event both takes place and builds on previous successes. There is a proposal on the table and this has to be the best place to start the process to restore confidence.  The Wild Ones proposal would ensure a professional operation delivers the event whilst enabling the community elements of Pride to be retained."

The local group of Green Cllrs have called on Brighton & Hove City Council to support Pride with financial backing. Cllr Bill Randall, Convenor of the Green Group of Cllrs on Brighton & Hove City Council said:
“Pride weekend is a defining feature of Brighton & Hove – a city renowned as the gay capital of the UK. Every year, the event gives us a unique platform to shout from the rooftops about our support for the LBGT community and our belief in tolerance, fairness and equality for all. It cannot be allowed to go to the wall.
 
“Far and away the highlight of the city’s free cultural calendar, Pride attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors from the rest of the UK and around the world and puts the city on the map. Local businesses take in more trade that weekend than any other, and the business case for supporting Pride is overwhelming. The city council must put its hand in its pocket, if necessary to make sure Pride carries on.“

Dean Parker from Wilde Ones said:
"It’s always very challenging chairing a community organisation, trying to represent the views of a vast number of people, as well as liaising with community groups and business supporters, in an open and transparent manner.

"Wilde Ones are very hopeful that the future chair will be able to develop the relationships that have broken down over the past two years.

"It is clear that local and non-local gay community groups, businesses and individuals are very passionate about the festival, and with such support we feel sure that moves can be made to give Brighton the Pride event it deserves.

"We wish Ms Barker well in her future endeavours."

Former Pride trustee and landlord of the Queens Arms Andy Feest, said:
"I was disappointed at the tone of Yvonne's resignation statement it lacked dignity. It is important now we all pull together to make sure that Pride 2010 happens. It only will if local businesses both LGBT and mainstream come back to the table and work out how they can work with Wilde Ones and Pride to produce a fabulous event for us next year."